Liberi Fatali
by NotxFadexAway
Summary: The sorceress Edea, and the crazy and powerful, Sephiroth are trying to drain energy from different worlds. A handful of people, drawn along against their will are the only light to quell the ever-growing darkness.
1. The Prelude

**Step into the Past...**  
  
_As the door began to close, Riku had one last glimpse of his friends walking away, then nothing. Riku was left alone in **the** black **vortex** that lay between the worlds... _  
  
Riku jerked awake and as always his dream followed him... the dark dreaming of the dark. Nothing had changed, he was still lost in the vortex. He sighed as he sat up and reaching beside him, he picked up the keyblade.  
  
_It **is** the only thing I have left... _  
  
Riku treasured it, though it was still **darkened by** what he had done. Five years of wandering alone in the dark because he had joined **the** **evil** side: that **of** the heartless. His friend Kairi's heart had been stolen, and he had been willing to do _anything_ to save her, even if it meant allying himself with the very ones who stole it. They craved **human hearts**, and as his was tainted by his very willingness to ally himself with them, he quickly fell under the control of the one who led them. At that moment when the bargain was struck, the keyblade's powers over light forsake him, and went to his friend Sora. **But** though Sora eventually defeated the heartless and saved Kairi, the **only** way to ensure that they would stay away forever was to cast them back **in** to **the** void that lay between the worlds, and Riku with them. During his waking hours he was certain that he had long since gotten over what he viewed as his friend's betrayal at leaving him to his fate, but the dreams still came. They were his constant companion, most likely caused by the keyblade himself, to remind him of what he had given up. Still, Riku had long since stopped wondering "if only..." After all what did it matter. He was already trapped in the void between the **darkness **that lay between the worlds, borne up only by the fact that the keyblade had once trusted him.  
  
_Some day, the light will be mine again. It **may** take my entire life in this place, but in the end, it will come back... _  
  
Resigned as he was, Riku's shock was complete when a sudden cluster of flickering lights appeared in front of him, like **stars** blinking in the nighttime sky. He ran forward, but when he reached the spot where the lights had been, winking like a out of existence. Riku frowned, did he imagine it?  
  
_No. You don't imagine light in a place like this. _  
  
Riku closed his eyes and willed the light to **appear** again. He knew what they meant, he had seen them before five years ago, **the** day his journey began and he had foolishly taken the wrong **path** to save a friend. And though Riku consoled himself with the hope that someday the light might return to the keyblade, he was certain that his hopes were merely **lies**. But now it seemed, that his hopes had some foundation after all. As Riku gazed out **in** the surrounding **shadows**, he saw **the** light again... and this time it stayed, then another lit up and another... A slow smile spread across Riku's face.  
  
Riku began to sprint down the **path **eager to see what was behind the door. Would he finally find his way out of the darkness, or was this just another one of his dreams, his **lies**? In his excitement over the first lights, the keyholes that marked the doors **in** the inky black surroundings, Riku didn't notice that this light was somehow wrong. When he finally had the keyblade in the lock, the door opened just as he was met with a blast of energy, and fell to the ground writhing around in **pain** and his vision went gray. After a moment the pain stopped, and he collected himself enough to sit up to find a tall silver-haired man looking down at him, a psychotic expression in his eyes. No, Riku decided after a moment, the man wasn't looking at him, but at the keyblade...   
  
"**But** Where is he? I Mean...I know he went into the pit, but how far down does it go?" Cloud looked around at his friends, and his gaze rested for a long while on his love, Tifa Lockheart. They had stopped shortly to take a small break before going after Sephiroth. Tearing his gaze away from Tifa, Cloud saw that Vincent was gazing down into the pit as if **hope** was just within reach.  
"I don't know Cloud, I wouldn't be surprised he **burns** a hole right through this world just to get to his sacred promised land." Cloud looked at Tifa and nodded his head, seeing that she could be right.  
  
"He's so **strong**." Yuffie shook her head sadly, while looking for a way to steal the group's money. She needed it, or her village did, and if she had a little extra to spare, so be it. She figured she could at least steal Cloud's, since Tifa was standing **in** the way of Cloud's view, and distracting him greatly.  
"Give it up, Yuffie, you're not stealing any more money in** this** decade." Yuffie silently cursed, Vincent had been following her eye movements. If Yuffie didn't have at least some common sense Vincent would have risked her **rampant** rage.  
  
However Vincent ignored this, seeming to have more important matters on his mind.  
"Well, if you're all ready to go down into the center of that **chaos** he's causing, **the** entrance is here."  
As one they all took a step forward and glanced into the pit.  
"What a **nightmare**..." Tifa grumbled as she looked gloomily into the abyss. Still, if they didn't go, the world was doomed, and all her old lectures to Cloud, back when he was just a mercenary, about trying taking a stance and being selfless for a change would be **lies**.  
"He's almost **within** our reach, we can't give up now." Cloud spoke confidently, though in reality he was distinctly worried. With a slight sigh, he stepped out onto the narrow path that would take them to Sephiroth.  
  
"The key or **your** life." Sephiroth spoke as he stared at Riku, a twisted slight smile on his face. He'd probably be taking both. Without waiting for the reply he grabbed Riku's arm, twisted his wrist to near cracking point, and pulled the keyblade away. With the blade now in his grasp, he hit him hard across the head with the hilt of his sword and watched as the Riku slumped to the ground. Turning, he walking into the hole he had created and stepped through the darkness over to the portal. He held out keyblade expecting the door to open...  
  
_Nothing. _  
  
Frowning, he tried again, forcing it against the scar in the earth then tried using the key on the gateway. While contemplating his next course of action, he was interrupted by the sound of smug laughter. He glanced over and saw that Riku was conscious again.  
Riku got slowly to his feet, before deliberately dusting himself off. He leaned against the canyon wall with a smirk on his face despite his unease.  
"_You _can't use it, you don't **own** it. The keyblade chose me, and it won't work for anyone else. You wanna get to new worlds, I am the only one who can open the doors."  
  
Greatly annoyed at the fact that he couldn't take the blade and he couldn't kill him, Sephiroth took a menacing step forward and grabbed Riku's arm dragging him forcefully through the tear in the earth. Glancing around at the flickering stars, he pulled Riku over to the one he had tried before.  
  
"This One." Handing him the keyblade and giving Riku a shove, Sephiroth watched as Riku held the blade towards the keyhole and a line of light outline door and a few seconds later, the portal opened. Sephiroth smiled. This was it, he was going to reach the promised land.  
"Let's go."  
With his arms outstretched ready to embrace his godhood, Sephiroth stepped through the door, and after a moments hesitation, Riku followed. There was no change. Sephiroth glanced around, finding that he was in a world not unlike the one he left. He scowled. This was not the promised land.  
Releasing a furious cry of rage, he called upon the same power that he had used to tear the hole between the worlds in the first place, intending to destroy the planet since it wasn't what he sought. Suddenly their came a snapping, and Sephiroth could sense the release of a force of great power, paying attention to the details around him for the first time, he noticed that he was by some sort of prison or cage. A flashing light appeared, and the cage snapped open revealing a woman. The power was radiating from her.   
"Good going." Riku told Sephiroth sarcastically. He could sense the woman's power as well as Sephiroth could, and her gaze was hardly welcoming.  
As Sephiroth watched, the woman opened golden eyes, glancing around as if seeing the world for the first time. Eventually her gaze came to rest on him and their eyes met.  
He smiled.  
  
Cloud had watched the scene half in shock and half in amusement, despite the situation. Approaching the gateway first, he stopped a little ways away and motioned the others to come over.  
"He's in there... so I guess... we follow." Cloud frowned, he had a bad feeling about this.  
After a few moments indecision, everyone agreed. Standing in front of the gateway, they all stared into the dark working up the will to step through. Once they did, they realized it had to have been a huge mistake as the earth fell out beneath them and they began to plummet down through the void.  
Tifa didn't know what was louder: The sound of them whizzing in the air towards the ground, or the sound of her **heart** beating in her ears. She had only a moment to ponder before she and the others hit the ground and the world became dark.  
  
An explosion, a great disturbance in the atmosphere. A power, released in the form of the ice queen herself, Edea. She was free. Slowly memory flooded back into her, after all how could she **forget**? She was furious for her imprisonment and **this** was a rage that would never go away, this much she knew. And, now that her cage had been broken, she had her **life** back. Now she would make things go her way.  
  
Or, she would, as soon as she figured out who two men standing before her were, they were obviously the ones who had freed her. She was about to approach the flaxen-haired, younger man, **and** ask him who he was, when he shot the question at her, taking her by surprise.  
  
Edea glanced at him to the other male standing before him then back again. "I could ask you the same thing, but since you freed me from my imprisonment, I will tell you as much. I am the sorceress Edea."   
  
She was surprised at the blank stares that met her response. She was not used to people not recognizing her. She frowned when the silver-haired man began to speak.  
  
"I don't believe you, you do not seem to be a sorceress."  
  
Angry at his disrespect, she summoned up a wall of ice, imprisoning the man.  
  
"Oh no?!"  
  
The look the man gave her was both amused and impressed. He nodded his head slightly. Then sword in hand he did a quick spin cutting through the ice with his power, impressing Edea in turn. Freed from the ice, he nodded at her.  
  
"I'm Sephiroth. Wouldn't you care to put that power to a more fitting use?"  
  
Edea inclined her head.  
  
"Speak."  
  
After listening to Sephiroth talk, an approving smile grew on her face. Yes she was free now, and with access to more power then she could have ever imagined. Revenge would be sweet, and she wouldn't just have it on this world, but the next and the next...  
  
Following Sephiroth into the portal, delightful images of destruction dancing in her mind, interrupted by a sigh coming from the other one, Riku. She glanced sharply at him. One of them was still undecided about what he wanted.  
  
Spotting another keyhole near by, Sephiroth nodded towards it. Shortly Riku was in front of the door, and he began to unlock it, careful not to go to slowly lest he incense Sephiroth's rage. The man was an utter psychopath, even if he wouldn't try and kill him, somehow Riku suspected he wouldn't be above torturing him to get what he wanted. No doubt the sorceress would help. Door opened, he stepped on into the next world.   
  
It was a daily task, and one they detested, but it had to be done, unfortunately they were the only ones brave enough to do it. Squall Leonhart, both a strict follower of and enforcer of the rules, was leader of the team sent to check to see if the Sorceress Edea's prison was still sound. Trepe, second in command, was a kind-hearted instructor who would much rather be doing a month's work of paperwork than checking up on an evil sorceress.  
  
Then there was Seifer Almasy. Did he want to be there? No. Did he have to be there? Yes. Did he have a choice? Not like the rest of them. This served him as a punishment for his awful intentions, even if they were in the past. Finally, there was the sweet and humble, Rinoa Heartily, who probably looked more like she should be picking flowers in a garden then dealing with a huge danger to the world. Of course, she was tougher than she looked, especially since she was a sorceress herself.  
  
The four headed to Edea's prison, experiencing that twinge of fear, that the prison had been breached, despite the security of the hold. The only way the sorceress would get out was if someone let her out, and no one in their right mind would do a thing like that. As soon they arrived, all four immediately wished they hadn't been assigned to the job. The cell lay open and the Sorceress had vanished.  
  
_Great... _  
  
"How could someone have been so stupid as to **unlock** the cell?" Squall looked at Rinoa spoke then shrugged. He'd rather not think about it.  
  
"Just keep **your **guard, she could be anywhere." All three nodded at Squall in agreement. Rinoa knew she didn't have the **heart** to kill anyone, but when the safety of the entire world was at stake, she knew what she had to do. They stayed together when the searched the area, Edea was one scary witch. They had searched through the entire place, when Seifer spotted it. He briefly considered not mentioning it so they could just leave, but he was curious. In the farthest corner of the room, a light was beckoning from the shadows, no not shadows, the inky black was like space itself.  
  
They walked briskly, over to that light like moths to the flame. A foolish thing to do, really. Stepping through, gravity and unbelievable power soon had them in it's grasp. In moments they were spinning in the core of the vortex, maybe never again to see the world in which they loved so much. Falling falling falling, when suddenly they stopped, flung onto a hard surface, and consciousness slipped away.  
  
Rikku placed a helmet over her long hair, as sandy as the desert that surrounded them, and gave her boyfriend Gippal a slightly uneasy smile as she climbed into hover beside him. It wasn't the hover that worried her. Like all Al Bhed she had grown up around machines, when the rest of the world shunned them, believing that it was machina that had brought, Sin, the monster down upon the people of Spira. She felt a brief flicker of sadness for Yuna, her cousin, who had died in the fight against sin, and like always **there** was a moment of guilt and self-condemnation that she hadn't done enough to save her. Rikku sighed, she was letting this stupid trip bother her, she should be excited to see the strange new machina again. I mean it started up on it's own, like how totally cool was that? Glancing slyly over at Gippal who had begun to fiddle with the control panel she grinned and gave him a shove, and caught unaware he fell out of the hover and into the sand just as Rikku had intended.   
  
"Hey!" Gippal looked up at her in bemusement.  
  
"You drove last time. My turn now." She smiled sweetly at him and started up the hover as the half-amused and half-annoyed Gippal shook his head climbed into the passenger seat.  
  
"I don't know how such a tiny person can push so hard." Gippal grumbled, then smirked. He adored her and they both knew it.  
  
"Yeah, yeah..." Rikku tossed back carelessly as she adeptly navigated the hover across the sand dunes. Glancing over at Gippal, she had to ask.   
  
"There **are** hundreds if not **thousands** **of** old ruins beneath the desert... why would one of the machina just suddenly start up now?"  
  
Gippal frowned, considering for a moment, than shrugged. "Your guess is as good as mine... let's just hope it's not another Vegnagun." The Al Bhed besides her referred to the threat to the second greatest threat in Spira's history, the machine that had destroyed the world over a thousand years ago. That time had seemed **worlds** away, **but** then someone had gone and brought it back again. Fortunately, Rikku, Gippal, and the gullwings had managed to shut it down in time.  
  
"Wouldn't that **just** be Spira's luck." Rikku muttered as she pulled the hover to a halt and hopped out only to miscalculate and stumble down the side of the dune. A shadow fell across her, and Gippal smiled down at her, holding out a hand to pull her up.  
  
"You are such a klutz." Gippal kissed the hand he was holding, looking for all the world like the rakish scoundrel that he was. Rikku smiled impishly at him.  
  
"But you love me anyway... now let's go check on this thing so we can leave."  
  
Most of the time Rikku was just excited about the ruins, but these ones just creeped her out. Dragging Gippal along behind her, she headed towards the door that led into **one** of the sand dunes, the strange machina that had begun to act up. Arriving at the door, Rikku dropped Gippal's hand and took a step forward, astounded by what she saw. Lights began to flash from the machine, outlining a door in sand that lightly coated it's surface, as Rikku approached, the flashes grew more brilliant, blindingly bright... _The door began to open_ and the light was suddenly replaced by inky blackness. Atall man with long silvery hair stepped through the door. As Rikku jumped back, noticing the enormous sword that hung at the man's side, Gippal shoved her behind him. The man studied them for a moment before abruptly turning around in anger as two more people came through the door, a tall woman with black hair and harsh golden eyes akin to those of the birds that flew over the desert, and a handsome young man with pale blonde hair. It was to the young man that he spoke.  
  
"Again you fail me, this is not the promised land, nor does this weak little planet have the power to get us there."  
  
At this point Gippal interjected despite Rikku's attempts to hold him back.  
  
"Hey, just who in the hell are you and what—"  
  
The man turned a frightening glint in his eye.  
  
"Ah yes. That... I'm Sephiroth and it's your **destiny** to die by my blade."  
  
Rikku looked at Gippal pulling on him harder while pulling out a knife that she had hidden in a sheathe behind her back. She looked over to see that the blonde man was watching them, a determined look on his face.  
  
"Right." Gippal moved to pull his gun out of it's holster, but though Gippal though the fastest draw Rikku had ever seen, he didn't even get a shot of before Sephiroth had pulled out his masamune, and stabbed Gippal through the heart. Rikku screamed, and tried to catch him as he fall, but only ended up falling to the ground with him.  
  
"Gippal, Gippal, come on, don't be dead... you can't be dead." Her whispers slowly faded away, and the tears running down her face swiftly became tears of rage. Sephiroth had _turned his back to her._ Wiping at the tears, Rikku charged at him, about to stab him in the back, when suddenly she hit a wall of ice, she stepped back only to be met by another and another. She released shriek of rage, and hit the walls of her prison with her knife, trying to crack through the ice and get to the bastard that had killed Gippal. Understandably, she wasn't thinking very clearly. Looking around wildly, she noticed the woman was the source of the ice.  
  
Sephiroth smirked at her then looked at the woman who smiled back and waving her hand the ice disappeared, taking a step forward, Sephiroth picked up Rikku by the neck, as if she weighed no more then a rag doll and slowly began to choke the life out of her.  
  
"You thought you could defeat me?! Pathetic little creature, you are very amusing."  
  
Rikku kicked and struggled trying to get him to release him, but it was futile. She looked over at the other man catching his eyes, and just before she passed out she saw him step forward.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
Watching as the pretty little blonde ran after Sephiroth, a guy who was practically twice her size, and found himself impressed despite himself. He also couldn't stop the nagging guilt about just letting him kill the man she was with. Riku didn't want Sephiroth to kill the girl.  
  
"Let her go. If you kill her, I won't help you, and you will never reach the promised land you are trying so hard to find."  
  
Riku crossed his arms, glaring at him. Sephiroth intently back at him.  
  
"What does it matter, they'll all die in the end."  
  
Finally he shrugged.  
  
"Have it your way."  
  
Then instead of setting the girl down, he tossed her back through the gate. Seeing Riku's look he smirked.  
  
"I let her go."  
  
Edea coughed slightly to get their attention.  
  
"I tire of this place. Let's go."  
  
Sephiroth turned and walked with Edea through the gate, and shoulders slumped with failure Riku slowly followed.  
  
His new master, whose favorite obsession was creating chaos, was really getting on Riku's nerves. This wasn't exactly what he had in mind when he wanted the keyblade to start working again. They were heading to a new door, and Riku wasn't sure he liked what he was getting himself into. Correction, what he was getting forced into. The only way out of an ordeal such as this one was resistance or escaping. The first one would be pretty hard to do, especially face to face with a sorceress and someone as strong as Sephiroth.  
  
Riku didn't know where the door led, but he had a choice. He had made up his mind, and he would have to pull it off quickly, but he could do it. Riku jerked his head to the side, pretending like he heard something. He watched as Sephiroth and Edea also turned their heads to see what the hold-up was and using their distraction Riku raced towards the door, his mind repeating the same words over and over.  
  
_Just get to the door... get to the door. _  
  
And he did, getting it open in record time. Now... now he had to close the door. A much more difficult task, though one viewing this from the outside would not think so. Riku saw Sephiroth and Edea speeding towards him and rapidly closed the door, locking it, narrowly missing the icicle that Edea had shot at his head. Turning he was startled by the sight before him. There were nine of them, all lying unconscious, on the ground, recognizing the girl that Sephiroth had tossed so carelessly into the void between the worlds, he assumed that they were all stragglers from the last few worlds they had hit.  
  
_Nine of them... all warriors by the look of it._  
  
Riku smirked.  
  
_For now, I'll be their watcher... they need... guidance. _  
  
Riku sat down on the ground waiting for them to awaken.  
  
_And so watcher and keyblade master was united with the nine warriors from different worlds. And so....The Story Begins. Seek out the Light. _  
  
...**Open**...**the**...**Door**...

_The vortex is darkened by the evil of human hearts,  
But only in the darkness may stars appear.  
The path lies in shadows,  
The path lies in pain,  
But hope burns strong in this rampant chaos.  
The nightmare lies within your own heart.  
Forget this life,  
And unlock your heart.  
There are thousands of worlds, but just one destiny,  
Open the door._


	2. The Forest

Author's Note: Story was written by several People: Myself, Katana, Oblivion, Epiphany, Screaming Infidelities, Naomi, silvercrystal, Nero, and Crimson Regret.

Story: _The sorceress Edea, and the crazy and powerful, Sephiroth are trying to drain energy from different worlds. A handful of people, drawn along against their will are the only light to quell the ever-growing darkness._

_Story Includes Characters From: FFX-2, FF8, FF7, Kingdom Hearts 2_

**Riku**   
  
Riku stood against the trunk of a large tree that towered high into the sky, its beautiful lush leaves catching the light, the **light** of the sun as it shined through the large canopy of the forest he had landed himself into, the Keyblade gripped firmly within his palm, the majestic blade glimmering with the light that bounced and reflected around him, catching every detial of his body, the body that hadn't been touched by the light- the hope for so long. Sighing, he glanced towards the unconcious warriors once more, all nine of them obviously in pretty bad shape, he could see bruises already forming on some of them, which meant they had either been in a large fight, or they had fallen somewhere above...where the light still shined, yet wasn't strong enough to break through the darkness he once again stood in.  
  
He had become ascustomed to darkness, the cold icy feeling of being alone with no one to help you, no one to speak to- even associate with. Yet he wasn't alone, not this time, at least, he hoped. He knew he wasn't dreaming, he knew that the nine warriors laying infront of him were real- he had been tainted by lies and the dark too long, it was about time someone else joined him. However, the light that shined down upon him shocked him, it had felt like an eternity in the darkness- and now the fresh rays of..._sunshine_ beat upon his pale features, lighting up his eyes and rekindiling the hope within his soul. The hope that the darkness woulden't consume him, the hope that the light would free him from his state of chaotic peril. Shrugging inwardly, he lifted his head and brushed a strand of his pale hair out of his eyes, which were hardened and cold- a consequence of his actions so long ago. He knew what he did was wrong, he knew when he was aligning himself with the evil that destroyed his life that it was wrong- yet he was blinded by love, which he still hadn't gotten in the end.  
  
Shaking his head and forcing himself back to the present, he merely gripped his Keyblade tighter and thought back to the odd silver haired man that had appeared before him not too long ago, it was obvious that something was brewing, Riku had felt the power flowing through both Sephiroth and the odd woman that they had met up with, yet the most disturbing thing that met his eyes was the petite blond girl that they had encountered- Sephiroth had killed her companion, and he had thought he would have done the same to her...yet there she lay, right infront of his eyes. Tapping the Keyblade against the tree tunk , he silently hoped that by helping, and _guiding_ the nine before him, that he would somehow atone for his past sins, for the past evils that he had commited and tainted his heart with- he was no better then the Heartless he had battled...and he hoped that somehow, by the arrival of the new warriors infront of him. He would find peace.  
  
**Squall Leonhart **  
  
Squall lay sprawled against the cold forest floor that he had came in contact with. His cheek numbed from the impact from the fall, his Gunblade clutched absentmindidly within his palm. He had drawn it out when relizing that someone had freed Edea, the evil Sorceress that they could only imprison, and even in his unconcious state...the visions of the open cage still flashed within his mind. Each of his teams horrified faces etched into his mind as they saw the open prison. Who would do such a horrible thing, as to let evil incarnete reign free?  
  
That was what haunted him the most, the unknowing of what vile thing had let Edea out of her _cage_. Edea was possibly the only thing Squall feared, or her power- her power to destroy them all, that was what frightened him. Squall stirred in his unconcious state, images and flashbacks of the fall into the vast expanse of darkness he was now lost within flickering in his minds eye, the screams and startled yells of his teamates- of Rinoa, still pounding within his ears, his own heart beating rapidly even though he wasn't awake. The impact of the fall still stung his body, and he hoped- deep within his body, that everyone would be ok- he had learned so much things from Rinoa already- in their years together. He didn't want that learning to stop, not yet, not ever.

**Rinoa**  
  
One small breath, and another, soon they were coming in short gasps until her eyes snapped open and she studied the ground upon which she laid. She put her hands out in front of her, she could still feel them, which was a sign that she was not in fact paralyzed from the cruel fall that they had all experienced. Her eyes darted around, blinking several times in the blinding light that was the sun. Her back was stiff, and rigid with pain. She bit her lip before moving her head slowly, to see the others that laid beside her. There was Squall, next to her on the right. She could see his chest rising and falling, and she knew he was alive. She reached out to grasp his hand, and entangled her fingers in his.  
  
Rinoa Forced herself onto her knees, despite the waves of pain that threatened to send her sprawling onto the ground into another state of unconsciousness. With her spare hand she pressed it to her forehead and shook her long black highlighted hair out of her eyes. The sorceress was missing, everyone was unconscious, with the exception of herself, unless more were starting to revive, and they were in some unknown place. Rinoa looked around to see faces that she didn't know, which aroused her curiosity. She pressed her hand more tightly into Squall's and silently hoped he would awake, to protect her, for she was afraid.  
  
Rinoa's head slowly turned to rest on a pair of piercing blue eyes. She let out a small gasp and her mouth turned into an 'O' of surprise. She stared at the pale-blonde haired male in shock and surprise for what seemed to be an eternity. Then she came to her senses and mustered up enough courage to ask the question that had been forever burning in her mind since she had awoken.  
  
"Where are we?"

**Sephiroth **  
  
Sephiroth scowled. The boy was proving to be more trouble then he was worth. Reaching out his hand he placed it against the keyhole as if trying to open the door through sheer willpower. Unfortunately, willpower had nothing to do with it, or Sephiroth would not only be at the promised land by now, but he would have all the powers of a destructive god.  
  
Feeling the beat of the energy against the keyhole, a smile came to his face. The boy miscalculated and once Sephiroth gained just a little more energy, perhaps by going back to that last world, he could rip right through and get Riku or the keyblade. Somehow he'd make it work, and if not, he had his methods of persuasion. Sephiroth glanced over at the sorceress Edea, wondering if her magic could do any better. He doubted it, but once they went back... Riku would have nowhere to hide.  
  
**Rikku **  
  
_It is your destiny to die...destiny to die... to die...die..._  
  
The words echoed in her head, and she saw the man step forward and stab Gippal through the heart... again and again... as the scene replayed in her dream over and over.  
  
"Gippal!"  
  
Rikku bolted upright, tears drying on her face, still tormented by the dream, and even worse because everything came flooding back, it was all real. She looked down at the ground... then around her... no sand anywhere... there were also people lying all around, unconscious or dead.  
  
_Where am I? _  
  
The last thing she remembered was Sephiroth choking the life out of her... no she also remembered... hearing a voice... Rikku was shaken out of her thoughts. She looked over to see that another girl was awake, the others weren't dead, they were unconscious like she has been... Turning her head, she saw for the first time the other person in the clearing. It was one of the men that had killed Gippal, no not actually killed him, but he was there, he could have done something to stop it. Rikku's eyes narrowed and she began to struggle to her feet, then feeling a wave of pain from all the bruises she had acquired she thought better of it and sat back down, ok, alright, fell down, content for the moment to glare at a distance and see what his response to the question the girl had asked. Rikku wanted to know where she was also.

**Squall Leonhart **  
  
Squall still lay against the cold forest floor, his heart beginning to decrease in its rapid pounding inside his chest as Rinoa came in contact with him- bringing him back into the present reality, and shattering the horrible images that rushed out of his mind as he slowly opened his eyes. At that moment, when he opened his eyes, and breathed in the brisk air around them, he wished he was unconcious again. The pain that shot through his left cheek was almost unbearable, and he was sure he could _feel_ his skin bruising just as he rubbed the tender skin that had _broken_ his fall, from who knows where.  
  
"Rinoa...", he spoke softly and smirked warily towards Rinoa. Sitting upright and instantly gripping her hand in his, and staring at her for a few moments before he heard a rather unfamilair, and loud voice erupt off to the side. Flinching slightly, Squall turned his neck and smoothed down his matted hair, which was dusty and dirty from laying on the ground. However, that didn't matter at the moment, what did matter however, was the fact that there were several unfamilair- unconcious bodies around them, all which seemed to be stirring awake just as Squall glanced towards the petite, and rather odd looking girl that had startled him.  
  
"What the...?", Squall scratched the back of his head and looked around, studying the rest of the unknown people that were sprawled around him and Rinoa- who was safe, at least, as safe as she could be. He shook his head and blinked his eyes a few times, becoming acustomed to the pain that numbed half of his face before glancing towards Rinoa once again. Brushing a strand of her raven black hair behind her ear and struggiling to stand up, bringing her up with him and trying to steady her on her feet, as well as trying to remain upright as well. He tried to recongnize the forest around them- but to no avail. He didn't have the faintest idea where they were...but something told him that the pale looking boy off to the side knew something, for the fact he was the only one not speaking- and was staring at them rather oddly.  
  
"You ok?", he spoke towards Rinoa whilst gripping the Gunblade he had picked up off the ground. The cold mettallic handle bringing more awareness of the warmth around him then before, and brought him to look upwards at the canopy of lush green tree's above him, the faint streams of warm sunlight creeping through the cracks within the large trees above them.  
  
**Riku**  
  
Riku watched expectantly at the group before him, raising an eyebrow as one girl, dressed in blue stirred in her unconcious state. Followed by the odd blonde girl he had saved from death, as well as a strong looking man with brown hair, and a large tear around his upper thigh area, probably caused from a tree branch from his fall. However, Riku was entralled by the sunlight overhead, his eyes stinging slightly as they struggled to get used to the light, his Keyblade shining as the light encompassed it and heated the blade up, the same warmth spreading up Riku's arm and all over his body as the blanket of darkness shyed away from him- allowing the young man to feel the true warmth of the light for what seemed like the first time in his life.   
  
He shook his head as the black haired girl spoke towards him, seeing he was the only one not laying across the ground at the moment. Sighing, Riku shifted his posture and turned around, running his hand across the rough bark of the tree trunk he had came across, when his hands fell into an...indent, a large gash in the tree's trunk that seemed to be from a blade. Raising another eyebrow, Riku lifted his Keyblade up and ran his fingers across the blade, he had been to this forest before...he had _fought_ in this forest before. Turning around once more, Riku nodded towards the girl that had questioned him and motioned around him, waving at the tree's that seemed to stretch across the whole planet as he spoke.  
  
"We're in Sylth, the eternal forest", he spoke once again as he nodded around them. The keyblade reflecting more light as it caught the light that crept through the forest leaves. He shrugged and stepped forward, c0cking his head and glancing at the three that were awake. Tring to figure out if he had seen them before, shrugging once more- he c0cked his head once more and spoke aloud, asking the black haired girl one of his own questions, that had plauged him ever since he layed eyes on the nine of them.  
  
"Who are you?", he nodded and leaned back on the tree trunk once more, resting the Keyblade at his side and glancing at the odd sword the man held in his hand, obviously threatened by Riku's pressence, or startled at least. He sighed and sheathed his blade, showing that he meant no harm- and folded his arms impatiently as he awaited an answer.

**Seifer Almasy**  
  
As he lay there, his ankle bruised badly from the fall; the breaths of air hit him like bullets shooting down his esophogus and filled his lungs like balloons to a carbon dioxide pump bringing life screaming back into his body. His eyes opened wide and he gasped for another breath of air as he gleaned his surroundings. Where was he? For a second there was the question of who was he, but his memory shot back in full after a few minutes. The mystical blow from the fast paced change of dimensions had caused his mind to revert like an old wall being sanded of it's paint after many, many years.  
  
He stood up now looking around seeing eight other people some still laying down, others standing and looking slightly confused the same as he did. Seifer pulled his gunblade from his belt and held it out in attack position as he continuously scanned the forest in all directions from his rooted spot. He looked over now to Squall and Rinoa who looked equally as confused as he was.  
  
The haunting image of the opened cell tormented his already frazzled mind now. _Where was he?_. He stumbled foward trying to reach out to Rinoa and Squall, his depth perception seemed to be gone but now in an instant found its way back as he hit the floor. "Where..the f u c k .._are_ we?" He asked slowly and as patiently as he could.

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa felt her grip tightening on Squall's hand, she was scared, and now that an actual question was shot back at her, she didn't know if she should tell this guy or not. Rinoa found herself inching closer to Squall, almost as if he was her only security in this world, or any world. She felt cold, despite the heat of the sun bearing down upon her back. She gripped tightly onto her necklace, before swaying slightly on her feet.  
  
"I'm Rinoa Heartilly, we come from Balamb Garden....welll....the four of us anyway...."  
  
She said this, gesturing to Squall, Seifer, Quistis, and herself. She didn't want to use anyone elses names in fear that if they told this man their names they might be in trouble, so she would rather risk her own safety than those of her friends, and her lover. Rinoa turned slightly, so that she was no longer facing Riku, but facing Squall. She saw the bruise on his cheek, and went to touch it with gentle fingers. She smiled at him sadly, before sighing softly and dropping her hand by her side.  
  
_Will we ever get out of here?_  
  
This was her biggest fear, and she could sense that it was also the fear of almost everyone that was revived at the time. She turned to Seifer, and acknowledged his previous question.  
  
"We're in the eternal forest known as, Sylth. I don't know exactly where that is."  
  
Her shoulders slumped and she frowned deeply, the fear visible in her eyes. She was looking forward to a nice, safe life with Squall, but all hopes of that pretty much shattered when they landed in this mess of a world. She rubbed her arm, which was now covered in bruises. She then went to study the faces of each and every person that surrounded her, she studied them for a long time before her gaze came to rest on Squall. She looked at him, longingly, and sadly before dropping her gaze to the forest floor.

**Yuffie**  
  
Black. There was darkness all around her as Yuffie struggled to regain conciousness. Flashes of what had happened before hand raced through her mind as her hands clenched at the ground beneath her. She remembered a clear view of Cloud's money pouch, then Vincent reprimanding her. She scowled subconsciously at that. There was a vague memory of a path, then the earth plummeting beneath them, then- _darkness._  
  
Groaning quietly, Yuffie pushed herself up, her already dirty hands clenching at the grass beneath her. There was noise, and her shattered mind tried to piece together the words, knowing that they were voices. Blinking several times, her eyes slowly getting used to the change in light, she glanced around. She noticed several of her friends on the ground, and she wanted to check if they were alright, but the bruises on her body prevented her from moving much.  
  
Unable to support her own body weight, Yuffie settled with crouching, warily observing those around her, awake or unconscious. She had awoken in time to hear one girl's introduction, and she gazed at the group of people who were already standing. She was pretty, the girl who had spoken, and her hand was clutching a handsome man's, whose other hand held a blade.  
  
Her eyes trailed to the other two men standing, one was casual, as though not worried at the predicament they seemed to be in, and the other was wary..._'Paranoid, is more like it.'_ thought Yuffie as she cautiously touched her bruises.  
  
Well...she was in a hell of a lot of trouble, that was for sure. But hey, at least there were more people to steal from.

**Rikku **  
  
_Sylth?! The eternal forest?_  
  
Riku glanced at the girl who spoke... _Balamb Garden?_  
  
The names were meaningless, but one thing was clear. She wasn't in Spira anymore, and she would know, she had seen all of it when she had traveled around with her cousin Yuna. That had ended badly too, but this... It seemed so cruel that she had lost Gippal and her home, all in one blow. Another tear trickled down her cheek and she furiously brushed it away as she tried to stand up a second time. Swooning slighty, she took a step to steady herself and managed to stay up this time. The memory of a voice drifting through her conscious before she had passed out filtered back to her, only to be pushed aside by Gippal, the look on his face as he died. Pain laced through her chest. Yet another person she had loved had died, and for what exactly?  
  
Clenching her fists in rage, she took a step towards him, then another, and another weaving her way over him as fast as her bruised body would allow, looking for all the world like an angry and perhaps slightly inebriated (due to her unsteadiness on her feet) blonde little pixie, the outlandish garb of the Al Bhed desert people only adding to the impression. Her fay appearance was probably why people so frequently made the mistake of underestimating her. It was an extremely foolish thing to do. After all when Yunie had died, who had come up with the plan to save the people of Spira? Who had disassembled Vegnagun? _Damn straight._ Of course no one ever believed it was her, she just didn't have the presence that Yunie had. _"You're a little short aren't you?"_...or _"You?!... Ok, seriously now..."_ and then there was her personal favorite, _"Hahahahahah... ahahahahah!"_. She just always seemed more like the type to fall down a well then to save the planet, even with help, and wells were rather hard to come by in the desert. Of course Rikku had shown them all, whether by saving their lives, or lightening their purses. She had at the very least wiped the obnoxiously amused smiles off their faces. Which brought her back to the present, she couldn't just let this guy who had let Gippal die just smugly stand around, saying in a voice all full of mystery...  
  
_Sylth. The eternal forest... and that means what exactly?!_  
  
Rikku rumaged around desperately in her pack which fortunately still lay at her waist. With hand behind her back so as not to alert him, she tried to see if she had anything to mix up or use on it's own to blast him with. Feeling the sharp prick of glass against her finger, she realized it was likely too late, all the vials were shattered from the fall. But, there had to be something...  
  
_There wasn't._  
  
Finally arriving where the pale haired man was standing, and still finding nothing, she removed her hand from the bag and glared furiously up at him into his icy blue eyes.  
  
"Remember me? You killed my boyfriend Gippal... Don't recognize the name? Maybe that's because you and your friends stabbed him not two seconds after you came through that gate!"  
  
Barely acknowledging the odd blade that the man carried, and the fact that he was probably willing to use it, if his companions had been anything to go by, Rikku curled her fists and swinging hard, she punched him in the face.

**Quistis Trepe **  
  
Quistis Trepe lay in a foetal position a few feet away from Squall, Rinoa and Seifer. It was daily routine to check on the sorceress Edea, not one that Quitis liked but she had to do. They had gone about it as they normally did but with a feeling in their hearts that something was wrong. She could remember the fear she felt as they made their way over to Edea's cell, the fear was not without reason, someone had let the sorceress out. The last thing she remembered was walking towards a vortex in Edea's empty cell. It was what led them to here, wherever here was.  
  
Flashes of light filled the darkness she had been in just moments ago. Slowly the the light diffused into the darkness till it was no more. She raised her left arm and fixed her glasses, they had slid down her face. Squall, Rinoa and Seifer were already concious, Quistis could see the three of them next to her. Rinoa was talking to someone, Quistis couldn't see who it was. She used her left arm to balance herself so she could get up. A loud scream rang out in the quiet surroundings.  
  
'_Aaahhh_. '  
  
She could feel the sharp bolts of pain shooting down her right side. Her arm was turning a purplish blue colour, her leg was already looking really bad. She didn't want to see how the rest of her body looked. There was a broken tree branch lying next to her, it looked just the right size to use as a walking stick, she's use it till she got her balance back. The pain only got worse when she rose to her feet and began walking, every bend of the knee was like someone ripping her muscles apart. She made her way over to where her team members stood. It was there she noticed the white haired boy Rinoa had been talking to. She caught the last few words of their conversation. He called this place Slyth, she could not remember ever coming across the name in any of her past research.  
  
_'Was it her? Did she bring us here?' _  
  
Quistis was referring to the Sorceress Edea, she looked at Rinoa and Squall as she asked the question.

**Cloud Strife**  
  
Cloud awoke to the sound of voices as his eyes adjusted to the light and he realised he was on the floor. The floor of a.. _forest?_. The last thing he'd remembered was going after Sephiroth with a bad feeling. A feeling that was now well justified. He'd then fallen down a hole and he figured this is where he'd landed and pretty obviously been knocked out. The place was cold. There were many trees and of course grass but there was something about it that gave him an odd feeling - this was no normal forest. _We - I, should have known that it was some kind of trick, some plan. And the thing is, it was us that went after him in the first place. Oh well, i guess everything happens for a reason but right now, what that reason is, i have no idea._.  
  
Sighing, he pushed himself off of the ground. He was not alone, he knew that but who was he with? His main concern was for finding Tifa, making sure she was ok. Then they'd be able to sort this out. Friends or foes, Cloud kept his hand poised to draw his sword, a weapon that he was more than able to use for he had great sword skills and was nearly, if not just as skilful as Sephiroth himself. It only took a few moments for him to spot Tifa's dark hair. Running to her he could see her chest rise and fall, she was alive. Near her lay Vincent and also nearby stood Yuffie, surveying the strangers who were presumably in they same situation as they were, unless of course they were part of the plan. Then again, was there even a plan? He didn't know the answer. All he was sure of was that he needed to find out who these people were and what the hell was going on. After, of course, he helped Tifa.  
  
Shaking her shoulder gently he whispered her name, watching her face for signs of her regaining consciousness. He could no longer hear the talking, his ears were focused on the soft inhaling and exhaling of her breath. He smiled as her eyes began to blink as they fluttered over. Looking into her eyes he kept his voice at a smooth, re-assuring tone as he greeted her with nothing but a simple; "Hey".

**Squall Leonhart **  
  
Squall tightened his grip on Rinoa and pulled her in closer to him as she spoke, he didn't know who this mysterious pale man was- and seeing that he was the only one without bruises or any signs of struggle, he didn't trust him at all. Not to mention the odd Key shaped blade that dangled effortlessly from his hand, and from the looks of him...he knew how to use it. Inadvertantly gripping his blade tighter, Squall craned his neck to glare towards Siefer and c0cked his head slightly, signaling for the arrogant young man to stand- he wasn't only annoying Squall, but he was making him look bad, it didn't matter if they didn't know where they were...Edea was involved somehow- and that meant that Squall was still the group leader, whether Seifer liked it or not.  
  
"Squall Leonhart, and you are?", he spoke towards the pale man with the odd looking blade. His own Gunblade glimmering in the sunlight that danced across the forest floor. However, he didn't get to hear a response before his ears perked up at the sound of an er splitting scream, instantly whirling his head around. Squalls confused eyes lay upon his former instructor, Quistis. Cringing as he glanced towards her arm, Squall instantly glanced towards Rinoa and walked over to Quistis to help her steady on her feet, leading her over closer to Rinoa and Seifer and supporting her weight, although still being relatively close to Rinoa, he didn't know what was going on- and none of his Squad members were going to get hurt, that was certain.   
  
Glancing around at his surroundnigs once more, Squall's eyes caught yet another rather large blade, belonging to another one of the eight people around him, this one blonde- and obviously just as confused as Squall was when he awoke. He merely shook his head in confusion and glanced back up towards the unknown man, his eyes hardened with his intense determintation, he wanted to know what the hell was going on. _Now_  
  
**Riku**  
  
Riku merely nodded towards Rinoa as she spoke, and surveyed the other three that were around her. Catching the gaze of the man that was reassuringly close to Rinoa- obviously deeply in love with her, a deep love that she obviously returned. Seeing the two together brought his feelings of Kairi back up to the surface. Resulting in his eyes instantly tearing away from the two and focusing on the ground, his pale hair falling over his eyes and shielding him slightly from veiw- at least his facial expressions.  
  
However, it wasn't only a few moments after he had pushed the memories of Kairi back down into the darkest depths of his mind that his ears picked up the same loud high pitched voice he had heard before- the voice belonging to the odd looking blonde girl that he had saved from Sephiroth. Glancing up into her green eyes, he merely gazed into her own saddened eyes emotionlessly- he hadn't killed this 'Gippal', and he had been nice enough to save her life as well, and being yelled at for his heroic's wasn't what Riku had in mind when he had saved her. However, he didn't get a response before her fist shot up speedingly towards his face, taken by surprise- the impact from her punch not doing much but annoy the wielder of the Keyblade. Wincing and rubbing his cheek where she had hit him, he glanced back up into her eyes and brushed his hair out of his eyes- his same emotionless face etched into his features.  
  
"I didn't kill him- Sephiroth did, I did what I could to save your life, glad you appreciate it", he sighed and stepped forward. Trying to ignore the blonde girl as he spoke towards the one called Squall, responding to his previous question. "Riku, your guardian in this world", he nodded and stared at all that were concious- awaiting some kind of reaction. It was obvious that they didn't know what was going on, sighing and shrugging inwardly, Riku turned around and glanced back towards the girl that had punched him before continuing with his speech.  
  
"It's obvoius none of you are from this world, and by the looks of it- your not of any of the worlds I've been too. Theres dangers in this world, in all the worlds- and I believe...those dangers are responsible of you being here", he glanced over towards the head of a blonde man with a large sword who had recently stirred and awoken. For some reason Sephiroth coming to mind, shrugging his shoulders. RIku turned around once more and faced the group with his usual cold eyes, careful not to get his hopes of that the nine before him would be the ones to save him from the darkness.  
  
"There was a man, he called himself Sephiroth. He wanted to use me to get to other worlds, and find...a promised land, yet I escaped. Soon after he aligned himself with an odd woman, Both have extreme power, and I believe its their actions that have brought you to the Eternal Forest, to thise dimension". He breathed in and allowed the rest to take in what he had said, he wasn't much for talking- another result from being lost in the darkness for so long, yet the sunlight and the hopes of the nine before him brought something out in him. And he wanted to tell them everything he knew to let them trust him, so that he could guide them, guiding them to the light...which hopefully, would banish the darkness that had tainted his soul for too long.

**Vincent**  
  
All Vincent could see was just black. Like a shadow consuming him, enveloping him in its hold, never letting the light seep in. Suddenly in his mind, a pure light suddenly exploded and a series of flashbacks began playing. He had remembered how he was once a Turk, an elite group mercenaries working for a ruthless corporate empire seeking to control the world and steal the energy from the earth. He was called Shinra. Even though Vincent is a mysterious, cool, calculating and stoic guy; he had once fell in love with Lucrecia an ancient. It just hit him and as they say; love worked in mysterious ways. However, Hojo, the head scientist who worked for Shinra shot Vincent over Lucrecia. Vincent wasn't sure what experiment exactly did Hojo used on him because in one experiment he became a shapeshifter. He learnt that Hojo impregnated Lucrecia, and experimented on her as well as her unborn son, who happened to be Sephiroth. Vincent was led to believe that to his dismay; Lucrecia had died before Hojo had imprisoned him by Shinra, locked in some kind of stasis, untouched by time for 25 years until a man who they called Cloud freed him. Vincent was determined to stop Shinra and deep in his heart he owed it to Lucrecia to stop Sephiroth. Slowly, but sure, he began to open his eyes and as ever; he hid his emotions under his black robe. The only thing that betrayed his emotionless self was the way his eyes were icy, and piercing, continuously gazing. Even in situations such as this, Vincent always kept his cool so why should now be any different? He forced himself in a sitting position then stood upright, and saw the way Yuffie had been looking. He could read her like a book; it was obvious that she had been thinking of stealing.  
  
"Don't even think it Yuffie."

**Seifer Almasy**  
  
_The Sylth...where was that?_ Did he miss it in his studies? All these thoughts had rant hrough his head within the course of two minutes. He turned to face Squall as he smirked. "So glad we all willingly followed you through that bright light at the back of her cage.." He knew in his mind that _he_ had discovered it and had indeed walked over there first, but never would he let on to this. He would deny it till the day he died.  
  
He walked somewhat foward into the forest and then looked toward Riku as he was punched in the face by Rikku. Not caring at all he looked over that the both of them. "God damn't can we just get the hell out of here!?"

**Rikku **  
  
Rikku glared stubbornly back at him and and the strange brilliant green spirals that marked her as Al-Bhed became evident in her emerald eyes as they darkened even further in anger. The punch didn't do a damn thing but hurt her hand. He just blew her off. Still it did cause her to think back on that voice again, the one that she heard before she passed out. Right, he "saved" her, then why was she even here? And if he had actually saved her, the he could have done something sooner and stopped _Sephiroth_ from slaying Gippal. And that he made _her_ sound ungrateful? Better that she had died with Gippal then find herself lost, away from the home she loved, and for what? Rikku shook her head slightly as the man ignored her and began to explain.  
  
Rikku reached down and pulled a knife from her boots all in one smooth movement, pausing for a moment when the man finally introduced himself... _Riku_ If she hadn't been so upset, she might have laughed at the irony of it. As it was, she was trying to make sense of his words.  
  
_Liar... _  
  
Rikku remembered the feel of the ice on her as the woman's magic closed her in... he _had_ been working with both of them, or at the very least was content to just let them run around on their mission of mayhem. Sure he'd guide them... right to the farplane!   
Unwillingly, tears began to well up in her eyes again. Gippal would be there, not really him of course, it was all an illusion, the pyreflies reacting with memories... but that was enough...  
  
_He shouldn't be no more then a memory... and oh not a fiend... not a fiend. _  
  
Rikku was nothing if not extremely quick, and in a graceful gesture, she had the blade pressed into Riku's back.  
  
"Oui Asudeuhmacc pycdynt!!"  
  
_You emotionless bastard!_  
  
In her fury she had unconsciously reverted back to her native language, she paused then spoke again.  
  
"You just don't get it... standing by and doing nothing is just as bad as if you had helped kill him yourself... and you have more of a role in this then you are trying to make it appear. You and that..." Rikku referred to the keyblade, as strange memories of when she was half-conscious fluttered back to her.  
  
Letting the knife fall to the ground, and she turned away, not really having the will to try and hurt him, but only to get her point across. Rikku took a step back, not bothering to pick up her dagger, and glanced around at the other people in the clearing, all the unfamiliar faces... The tears began to flow freely now and taking another step back, then turned to go, then paused looking at Riku for another second. He was as cold as that ice the sorceress had conjured.  
  
"I feel sorry for you, you know?"  
  
Turning she fled the clearing. She didn't want to hear any more of what Riku had to say.


	3. The Forest Part 2

Author's Note: This is a very long story, so Chapter one will be divided into four parts.

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa was startled by the blonde's reaction. She then shook her head, she knew where the girl was coming from. She had once felt the same way when she thought she had lost Seifer, even though now she didn't want to have anything to do with Seifer. Rinoa felt a deep sympathy for the girl. She picked up her dagger, so no one could do any harm with it. Rinoa suddenly felt an incredible rage burn deep within her body, right down to her very soul. These people didn't even have a care. They didn't show any compassion for the woman's loss, and they seemed like they were more engrossed in their own 'little' problems than to actually help one woman out of her pain.  
  
Rinoa wasn't like that. She looked around at everyone, anger burning in her eyes. She finally looked angrilly at Squall. If he could show her compassion, love, and so many other emotions, then how could he not show any sympathy for someone who had suffered such a loss? She gave him an angry glare, clearly upset with him, and everyone else. This Riku was annoying her greatly, and she felt as if, she could hurt him badly at any minute now. Although, Rinoa wasn't one to hurt people, and if she did, it would be as if all hell froze over. Rinoa still didn't know if anyone besides Squall, from Balamb Garden, trusted her as a sorceress. This made her angry, why would she want to hurt people? She wanted to heal them.  
  
_Just Like I'm going to try and heal someone's pain now..._  
  
Rinoa gave Riku a deadly glare. She walked over to him, and with a great force, pushed him down to the ground. She then turned around to look at the remaining members of the group, all who seemed shocked at her sudden outburst. Rinoa almost felt like laughing, in a cruel manner and spitting upon each of them. Didn't they see what was going on? No, of course not. They were too wrapped up in their own little, selfish problems to notice anyone else.  
  
"You all disgust me, You don't see that _she_ is in _pain_? How could you stand there, and be more worried about about your own selfish problems then trying to comfort someone? It's not that hard you know. Or maybe it is for **some** of you."  
  
With that, she stormed off in search of the younger woman. It didn't take long to find her. Rinoa found her weeping openly. She was overcome with more deep sympathy for the girl. She walked towards her and, even though she didn't really know her, she hugged her softly. Rinoa hated to see people cry, it was one of her weak spots, and this time wasn't any different.  
  
"Shh...It's okay. I've been there before. I know what it feels like, the pain, the torment, the feeling like you want to die...But you have to be strong, _he_ would have wanted it. He would have wanted you to be strong, and happy, and to love."

**Rikku **  
  
Rikku walked away, not having a clue what she was doing, barely registering how dark the woods were getting, and when both the mental and physical pain grew unbearable, she stopped, falling to her knees and just cried for Gippal, and for the whole situation. She stared out into the dark as the tears fell down, barely registering a strange flicker in the shadows. At this point she didn't care. She turned when someone came up behind her, that girl, Rinoa, stiffening slightly as Rinoa put her arms around her, trying to comfort her. For a brief moment it was like Yunie was back again. But the woman's words banished that, and Rikku backed away. Yunie was dead, and so was Gippal. Everyone she loved was gone. Even as she focused all her anger and attention on Riku, she had picked up on the the love shared between this dark-haired woman and that man back there. Rinoa couldn't possibly know what she was feeling. Rikku stood up and backed away.  
  
"You don't know what it's like! Everyone I love is now dead. You might be stuck here, but at least you're not alone..."  
  
Rikku shook slightly.  
  
"I should have done more... and so should that lying apathetic jerk back there. He could have done something to stop it."

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa stumbled and fell on her butt, at the other woman's quick movements. Rinoa knew she wasn't alone, but she also knew she had experienced that sadness before, even if the younger woman didn't believe her. Rinoa stood up, clearly upset that the other woman had brushed her off so easily. It made her feel as if her attempts were fruitless, which they pretty much were.  
  
"Fine, don't believe me, but I've been there. If you ever want to talk...I'll be around."  
  
With that, Rinoa headed back towards the clearing in which they had all fallen onto, but stopped and decided that was probably not the best route, so instead she turned and went down another path until she found a river. She sat by the edge, frowning deeply and twirrling her fingers in the cool water. Rinoa noticed that it was much darker in this area of the forest, and the river seemed almost black. She was startled when she heard rustling in the bushes behind her. She turned around and was surprised to see a creature of the shadow leap out at her. She let out an ear-splitting scream before dodging out of the way of it. She was pretty weak, and didn't know if she could fight it off.

**Rikku **  
  
Rikku didn't turn as Rinoa walked away, some part of her acknowledged that the girl was just trying to help, but she was still too wrapped up in her pain. She was angry at that guy Riku and she didn't really trust him, but mostly she was angry at herself, she should have done something more...  
  
Suddenly, a strange noise echoed through the woods, and the disjuncture between the sound and the quiet around her shook her out of her misery. Jerking her head up she around the dark woods... Maybe it was the girl again, Rikku realized that she didn't even get her name... Rikku would have to apologize.  
  
"...hello?"  
  
Hesitantly, Rikku took a step forward.  
  
"Is anyone--?"  
  
Rikku broke off. Something was hiding in the shadows. She moved closer despite the voice in her head telling her to get the hell out of there. It was almost as if she was compelled by what lay hidden in the darkness. Rikku froze, a shiver running up her spine as she wondered just exacly why it was called the eternal forest anyway. She had just turned around, deciding that she wasn't going to investigate the noise after all, that she should instead just head back to where the others were, when she saw multiple sets of crimson eyes glaring balefully at her from the shadows from the same direction that she had come from. Eyes widening, Rikku took a startled step backward only to step on a rock that turned her foot in the wrong direction... Rikku went down.  
  
She looked around the clearing frantically finding to her horror that the things were all around her. She moved her hand to the her knife sheathe, then realized that she had stupidly left it behind. She watched in horror as she realized that the creatures hiding in the shadows seemed to be made of the very shadows themselves. Wraiths of shadow, like pure darkness except for the two gleaming orbs of red, staring at her unblinkingly as they approached. More of them appeared, dripping from the shadows and up from the ground itself. She tried to get up, but a swift jolt of pain cracked through her ankle and she fell again. Attempting to move back as best she could, she glanced behind her only to find her exit was blocked.  
  
Thinking that her life was over anyway and that all she had to do was die, she closed her eyes waiting for it to come. Then the first creature reached her and a painful emptiness flashed through her, accompanied by an odd almost feral sort of hunger for... something.... and she changed her mind. She couldn't go out like this, Rikku began to struggle violently against the shadowy creatures, trying to get away.  
  
No more then a few minutes ago, Rikku had thought it impossible for the situation to get any worse... she was wrong.

**Tifa **  
  
Tifa was dreaming of stars, like the ones they had seen in the observatory at Cosmo Canyon, twinkling brightly in the sky. She had seen those stars, right before the ground had dropped from beneath them when they had followed Sephiroth through that portal. The sounds of voices murmurred through her dreams and slowly she began to awaken.  
  
Her eyes fluttered open and she saw Cloud's smiling down at her, but with worried eyes. She smiled slightly at his greeting, and lifting her hand she pressed it briefly against his cheek, relieved that he was there with her. She had lost him before, she never wanted it to happen again. Struggling slightly, she sat up, not understanding what was going on. She noticed the commotion, but couldn't sort it out in her mind. Lifting her hand to her head to move her hair out of the way, she felt a throb of pain in her head as her fingers brushed against it. She pulled her hand away and saw blood on her finger tips. She had hit her head hard in that fall, but it didn't seem to deep of a cut. She clenched her fist and dropped her hand to her side, hoping that Cloud didn't notice. She didn't want to worry him.  
  
"Cloud... what happened?"

**Cloud Stife**  
  
A Sigh of released push his lips apart as Cloud noticed Tifa's eyes flutter open. She seemed on the whole fine but she accidently drew attention to a cut he hadn't noticed. Gently he reached up, his fingers lingered over the cut before he lowered them. He tried not to seem worried and he wasn't - much. It was only a slight cut and she was a strong girl, a tough one - she'd been through much worse. The question she asked though, was one he had no idea how to anser. So he gently held her hand and liften her to her feet as he explained all that he knew. He'd noticed a few interactions between the others and Vincent was also awake now which was great. The strangers seemed to be alike them, stranded warriors. He could tell this by their puzzled expresions and the weapons they kept close. Cloud was unable to fully understand everything as he'd been concentrating on Tifa but it seemed that a rather distraut member of this 'group' had been shouting about murder and had infact run off into the woods. Someone had gone after but she was something they'd have to get to soon. He sure wouldn't want any of his friends alone in a strange place such as the woods so he certainly saw no reason for them to not help her.  
  
"Well, to be honest", he said looking into her eyes trying not to look too concerned. "I don't know. There are a number of others here, seemingly warriors that seem to be as confused as we are. You remember falling down the hole right? well this is where we ended up, all of us. I'm guessing it has something to do with Sepiroth but i'm not entirely sure. I might have been able to find out more but i've been waiting for you to wake up. There was this one girl though, she seemed pretty upset, i think if we're all ok we should go after her."  
  
"Are you ok?", he asked as a wrinkle creased his brow, his concern evident.

**Quistis Trepe**  
  
She let Squall help her stand, the pain was beginning to numb making it easier for her to stand. Usually pain was better than numbness but in this case she was greatful for the numbness. Quistis watched Rinoa carefully, she seemed to be the only one to show how much this was affecting her. This situation frightened them, Quistis would bet on that.  
  
_'Don't you think we would be the hell out of here if there was a way?' _  
  
Quistis paitently replied to Seifers question, she knew it was rhetoricall but sometimes it was easier to shut him up by answering back, She gave him a look which said the same thing. The interaction between the white haired boy, Riku, and the blonde girl was interesting. It was obvious that she wanted to kill him, something about him killing her boyfriend. Whatever it was it got Rinoa all worked up.  
  
Quistis nearly jumped out of her skin when Rinoa turned around and started shouting at everyone. She'd never seen Rinoa get this angry over anything. Quistis decided not to say anything back or interfere, that was Squall's job. She turned around so that she was facing him.  
  
_'Go talk to her Squall.'_

**Tifa **  
  
Tifa allowed Cloud to help her to her feet, and tried to clear her aching head, as she looked around the clearing and listened to him speak. She frowned slightly, wondering what Sephiroth was up to... and these woods creeped her out, she hated to think of someone lost and alone in them. Then at Cloud's question, she smiled, and grabbing his hand she squeezed it once.  
  
"I'm fine... if this is Sephiroth's doing, we should find out what he's up to..."  
  
Tifa glanced around at the other people in the clearing, a blonde woman was talking to a handsome dark haired man about going after someone, the second person that had gone off into the woods, she deduced..  
  
"I wonder where they are from..."  
  
At that point the sounds of screams could be heard from the woods. Tifa turned her head abruptly, ready to go run and help, when a wave of pain swept over her, and the world went gray, she turned towards Cloud.  
  
" think I hit my head harder then I though."  
  
And with that remark, she passed out.

**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall's beautifully charismatic eyes widened in surprise as the petite blonde girl- as well as Rinoa ran off into the dense forestry around them. Sighing as he attempted to call to Rinoa, his shoulders instantly slumped as he saw only the feint shimmer of her long blue coat before her body fell completely out of sight. Sighing once more, he glanced headlong towards Quistis, he _had_ seen Rinoa like that before, and he had always thought that it was her way of getting used to her new powers- or at least letting out some frustration that was caused by the ones around her. Thinking that it was Riku's fault, Squall glared towards the pale young man before his own ears- as well as Riku's perked up, both men's eyes meeting- and obviously thinking the same thing.  
  
Squall had heard a scream, and he knew Riku had heard it too. Not waiting one moment longer for another scream to ring out through the forest, Squall instantly turned on his heel and started off in the direction his ears took him. Craning his neck to the side and muttering a few words to both Quistis and Seifer, his tone showing that his words weren't requests, but orders.  
  
"Quistis, stay here- anything happens- you know what to do, Seifer, you stay here with the others, protect _all _of them with your life. And that's an order!", his voice became fainter as he plunged into the greenery around him. His eyes straining to accustom to the darkness that obviously over ruled the sunlight in the deeper part of the Forest planet, his Gunblade instantly sliding out of its sheath and hacking away branches and other forest plants as he sped through the realm around him. His eyes instantly snapping open once more as his eyes caught hold of a blue trench coat, and a head of raven hair...Rinoa. The fear of losing the love of his life adding to his speed and determination, the trained SeeD squad leader sprinted forth- and leaped over a particularly large gnarled tree root that stuck out of the ground, before bursting from the forest and into yet another clearing- this one dominated by...almost black looking water.  
  
"Rinoa!" Squall spoke whilst pulling the trigger on his Gunblade. The bullet tearing through the air between him and an odd shadow creature that was seconds from slamming into Rinoa's shoulder, the oddly shaped creature bursting into pieces as the bullet came in contact with its small body, fading away just to be replaced with two more ugly creatures- their red and yellow eyes piercing his soul and causing an icy shiver to prick his spine. However, that didn't stop him from protecting the love of his life. He continued spinning his blade around in between his fingers, slicing in half more and more creatures as they exploded from the shadows, grabbing Rinoa's hand and slightly pulling her towards the direction of the clearing they had woken up in, wanting to get back there as soon as possible- preferably all in one piece.  
  
**Riku**  
  
Riku was once more taken by surprise as the petite blonde girl ran off- even more so as Rinoa approached him and literally pushed him downwards. However, seeing he was leaning against the tree it didn't do much but push him farther back, but none the less, he noted the strength of the raven haired girl and simply glanced towards her as she ran off. He was beginning to get restless with all of them- and alittle more then irritated. Riku had been trapped in despair and darkness for five years, he wasn't eager to return, and he wasn't eager to waste time guiding the mindless fools that had dropped into his life. However, he realized he had to be smart, if they truly were nine warriors, then he could _use_ them to his advantage, whether they knew it or not. Clenching the keyblade in his palm once more, he burst forward in a blur of pale skin and grey like hair, turning around at the end of the clearing and speaking calmer then he should have been.  
  
"Do not leave this place, they won't attack here- but wonder into the forest- there I won't be able to help you", he cut himself off before turning on his heel. Jumping into the forest and following Squall, who had obviously heard the same thing. However, instead of following the young man, he turned off into another direction, his own blade effortlessly slicing through the branches, and sometimes smaller tree's, cutting them down with ease, before he jumped up and pushed off a low tree branch. Vaulting himself into the air and landing straight in front of the blonde girl that had threatened him- who was ironically, covered by heartless.  
  
"Do not move", as he spoke- several of the heartless creatures turned their eerie beady eyes towards his own. Which only brought out an unwelcoming emotionless smirk, stretching the Keyblade out in front of him and easily cutting several of the creatures in half- freeing the young blonde girl for the most part, he figured if he saved her from the darkness, she wouldn't be so rash...and angry with him for allowing her boyfriend to be killed.   
  
Gripping a rather small heartless in his hand, Riku hurled it off the blonde girl and slashed another with his blade, kicking out his foot behind him and sending another enemy flying backwards, lost in the trees as it slammed up against a large tree trunk. His hand quickly reaching down and scooping the girl's arm in his strengthful grip, pulling her off her back and examining her ankle with a mere glance. Establishing that it was damaged, He tightened his grip on her arm and began to support her weight with his own, almost dragging her back into the tree's whilst slashing at constant heartless that flew from the shadows. Sighing, and breathing rather deeply- Riku glanced over his shoulder- which was now dripping with blood from a wound he had received from a few creatures that had ganged up on him, he rolled his eyes and diverted his attention back towards the girl he had 'saved', speaking in a rather hushed tone as he headed in the direction where he heard Squall and Rinoa.   
  
"Trust me, those creatures back there, their called heartless. Stay close to me, and everything will be fine", he nodded and waved his blade in an arc out in front of the two. Cutting a clear path to where Squall and Rinoa fought, bringing the girl out into the clearing and glancing towards her once more. His emotionless eyes filled with hope and determination as he nodded. "Trust me"   
  
Hoping that she bought his words, Riku quickly glanced over towards Squall and Rinoa once more, his keyblade pointing in the direction of the clearing they had all woken up in once more, as well as slashing outwards to fend off any other attacks. However, the heartless seemed to know who Riku was, or at least knew of the keyblade...for every time he swept it outwards- they shied away and went after Squall. Which meant one thing; they had to get back to the original clearing, and **fast**

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa looked at Squall akwardly, she didn't know how to talk to him. Sure, he had just saved her life, but there was still the matter of her little outburst. She felt bad for having an outburst on everyone. Rinoa looked behind her and realized that the heartless would not go after Riku. She wondered why, and felt somewhat angry about it, but still kept her inner-calm. Rinoa looked up at Squall sheepishly and smiled.  
  
"Err...Sorry about that outburst..."  
  
She lowered her gaze to the ground as they continued to run to the clearing. Rinoa noticed the forest becoming visibly brighter. She smiled slightly before dragging Squall ahead into the clearing. Her heart was racing, and she had many emotions running through her. She was happy that they were all safe, but yet she would rather face the creatures in the shadows than anyone else at the current time. Rinoa rubbed her arm and gripped the braided-blonde's dagger a little more tightly in her hand.  
  
She closed her eyes, wishing all of this was some crazy nightmare. She wished they wern't really stuck in some unknown world. She wished they wern't being hunted down by creatures of the darkness. She also wished that she could take back every thing she had said in the last hour or so, and either re-word it, or not have said it at all. That was the cruel thing about life, it never seemed to do what you asked of it.  
  
Rinoa opened her eyes, and turned to face Riku and the younger woman. She walked over to the younger woman and handed her back her dagger. She then returned by Squall's side. She had a feeling someone was going to pester her about her little 'outburst' and she didn't feel like answering any questions at the current time.  
  
So instead she sat down against a tree, and closed her eyes, as if to say she was done with all this mayhem for the time being, and wanted to be left alone. She hoped people would get the point, but she wasn't sure if Squall would. Lately, he had always seemed to find a way to get down into the center of her problems, and try to help her through them.  
  
Rinoa sighed lightly, before moving long strands of her hair out of her face. If she just kept her calm a little longer, she knew she could make it through this. Through all of it. However, her patience was slowly slipping away, and the questions that plagued her mind were hardly comforting. So instead she sat content with the knowledge that whatever they went through, Squall would be there.  
  
_Unless we are split up for some unknown reason..._

**Rikku **  
  
Ultimately, Rikku stopped fighting and just huddled into a ball, trying to stave off the attack as the creatures tore at her. If she ever got out of this alive, unlikely, she really had to see about replenishing her supplies, so she wasn't completely defenseless. The creatures tried to drag her off, but she on held tightly to the ground, speaking quietly to herself and to the strange creatures, as she willed them away.  
  
"Mayja sa pa, mayja sa pa, mayja sa pa..."  
  
_Leave me be..._  
  
Then her hold slip and she turned, being pulled by the heartless, when she heard a voice cut in. Rikku closed her eyes, almost wishing the heartless had killed her off, instead of having him come rescue her. Then suddenly the heartless were off of her and Riku was helping her up. She couldn't walk so he dragged her out of the clearing, still managing to fight off the creatures and finally arriving in the clearing with Rinoa and that other man.  
  
She started slightly at the expression in what had seem permanently deadened eyes as he told her to trust him. She wasn't sure she could do that, but for now it seemed a good idea. She noticed quite quickly that the heartless stayed away from Riku, but swarmed after the other guy, so she gestured to the pair. "Wait, come into the perimeter..."  
  
Though they didn't hear they did make a break for the clearing, and got through, the heartless didn't seem to follow, but Rikku didn't have time to think about it as Riku quickly dragged her along to the clearing. She breathed a sigh or relief when the heartless didn't follow. Safety in numbers she guessed.  
  
Glancing at Rinoa as she approached, Rikku felt a wave of guilt. The other girl wouldn't even have been out there if it weren't for her. Accepting the dagger back, she nodded, and within a second the dagger had disappeared back to it's sheathe . She gave her apologetic look.  
  
Glancing up at Riku, who she was distinctly uncertain about despite what she'd done, she noticed the wound on his shoulder and forgot her concerns, _for the moment_. Pulling out her knife again, she reached into her hair pulling one of the strips of beaded cloth that tied her long hair up, and sliced it off.  
  
"Hold still... is that sword machina? Why did it keep them away?"   
  
Unfolding the colorful cloth so it would cover the most surface area, she quickly ran her knife along the edge and the beads scattered, falling to the forest floor. She spoke mainly because it was her habit sometimes, when she was uncomfortable, not because she expected him to answer. She didn't know why he had even bothered to go after her.  
  
"People might think the Al Bhed attire is strange, but it has it's uses. There."  
  
While she spoke, Rikku moved Riku's arm, despite resistance, and quickly wrapped the gauze around his shoulder, creating a make-shift bandage then looked up into his eyes for a brief moment. She suspected she'd never know.   
  
"Dryhgc vun cyjehk sa."  
  
_Thanks for saving me._  
  
Stubbornly, she hadn't said it so he could understand, she didn't like the choosiness of his rescues, he was obviously a capable fighter. Abruptly she turned away, and seeing Rinoa she figured she should apologize. Practically hopping over, she plopped down on the ground next to her.  
  
"I'm sorry I was so rude earlier, I had no right to yell at you when you were just trying to help."

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa's eyes snapped open. She looked slightly startled, but relieved at the same time. She gave Rikku a small smile before waving it off with her hand.  
  
"No, It's alright, besides, I had no buisness barging in to _your_ buisness. Anyway...I just hope your feeling somewhat better."  
  
Rinoa's smile broke out into an all out-grin. She was happy that Rikku and herself were on good terms now. She just wished she could be on good terms with everyone, she wasn't sure if she would accomplish that. Rinoa sighed slightly before turning towards Rikku and folding her knees underneath her chin.  
  
"I really _do_ know how it feels though."  
  
She smiled at her again before giving her a small patt on the back, letting Rikku know that she was there for her. She then dropped her hand to her side and started to play with the fringes in her long blue coat. Rinoa was still trying to make sense of the entire situation, but she figured, if she had to go through it, she might as well start being best friends with everyone. Besides, it was never good to have enemies.  
  
She had learned this the hard way. Rinoa sighed, thinking of past memories and events. She wondered how long any human being could actually stay with their thoughts always stuck in the past. Some people learned to never let go, while others learned to let go too quickly. Rinoa placed herself in between both, as she sometimes liked to linger on past events, but also wanted to quickly forget others. She also wondered if Rikku lingered on her past, or if she didn't want to think twice about it. If so, she might get over the man she had lost quickly, but Rinoa hoped that wasn't the case. She knew that Rikku loved the man she had lost, and also knew that it wasn't so easy to forget loved ones.

**Yuffie**  
  
Yuffie watched, unusually silent as the drama in the clearing played out like a soap opera. One girl had stepped forward and began threatening the only one in the group who wasn't bruised like they had been thrown down a mountain. She heard something about a boyfriend, but people had begun to wake up and her attention was divided, hoping it was someone she knew.  
  
It wasn't, but she still watched as the girl sat up, pushing her glasses back up her nose. She had used a branch to help her up, and Yuffie couldn't help but roll her eyes at her own stupidity at not thinking of that first.  
  
Yuffie let out the breath she had been holding when she saw Cloud stand among the unconscious bodies, but she didn't sigh with relief till she saw him find Tifa. Cloud wasn't Cloud unless he was worrying about Tifa. Again, she was distracted when another man introduced himself as Squall, and she searched her memory to see if she had ever met this person. She doubted it, but watched as he held on to the woman he obviously cared for.  
  
The watchful eyes of Yuffie trailed the rest of the clearing, landing again on the woman threatening the man, except now it had escalated, and she had punched the man, but he didn't look at all fazed. He introduced himself as Riku and as their guardian. She looked at him warily, unsure but shrugging mentally. Riku spoke of dangers and Yuffie took another glance around. Many of the large group seemed to be armed, and most seemed to be conscious. Which was good. Riku explained, telling of a woman paired with Sephiroth, trying to find something, a promised land. Yuffie shook her head. She didn't really care about the end of the world. She just wanted their money. Was that so much to ask of them? Although, now that it seemed they were stuck in some dimension of other, stealing didn't seem to be an option, as long as she wanted to get away with it. Darn.  
  
As though he knew her thoughts, Yuffie winced as she heard the fateful words of Vincent, who had apparently woken up behind her.  
  
"Oy, can't a girl watch people without suspicion?" she asked quietly, pouting slightly. She was interrupted by the paranoid guy said something she didn't really understand, and then watched, half amused, half annoyed as he began to shout. As though that drama wasn't enough, the girl who had punched Riku before, had actually threatened him with a knife and then strode off.  
  
"Just what we need...," Yuffie murmured to herself, "someone running off while-" but again, interruptions abounded as the girl who had introduced herself as Rinoa started shouting angrily at them. Yuffie would've tried to speak up, but knowing it was hopeless, attempted to stand up.  
  
She ended on her butt, wincing, not even noticing that Tifa had awoken. Barely hearing everyone's conversations, she sat, wondering. _Well...they were stuck. With a guide no one trusted. Two of the group had run off. There was-_ she paused. _A scream._  
  
Squall and Riku both took off running, Squall shouting commands over his shoulder, the words coming back clearly, despite his growing distance. Yuffie would've loved to run after them, but her bruises covered most of her body, and prevented her from standing up. There were sounds of fighting, and Yuffie was wondering if they would be alright, but her fears were alleviated when Riku and the girl both returned to the clearing.  
  
Yuffie grunted and stood finally, her hands out for balance. When she was sure she was steady, she asked what she had been dying to know. "What was it? And are you alright?" she said worriedly, though she shouldn't have. She tried to step forward, but her knees gave out and she landed face first. Sighing and leaning on her arms, she scowled.  
  
"Usually I'm much more sure-footed than this. I must've really hurt something." Annoyed she was so helpless, she pulled herself up into a sitting position, ignoring the gnawing pain in her thigh and ankle. Great, now she couldn't even steal. This was just getting worse and worse.

**Sephiroth**  
  
"So Sorceress, are you capable of doing anything useful?"   
  
Sephiroth asked more than just a bit rudely, partly to agitate the Sorceress a little bit and provoke her to _prove_ her worthiness to him. After all, if that ice trick was all she held up her sleeve he could always kill her. She wasn't the keyblades master - nor was she _needed_ in his plans.  
  
A cold glare caught her amber ones, he didn't have to say anything further, the look he sent was capable of telling her his thoughts, a slight smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth as he continued to pace about, waiting for Edea to become useful to him. Or, trying to plan his next move if she were to fail him.

**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall had been fighting off more creatures when one, slightly larger shadow monster attached itself onto his leg, slashing at his thigh and causing a painful grunt to erupt from the back of the Squad leaders throat, instantly turning on his heel and slamming his leg towards the nearest tree trunk, the creature latched onto his leg taking the majority of the damage and falling limply to the ground, just long enough for Squall to slash it in two whilst walking deeper into the forest. Following Riku's lead as he easily slashed through the forest around them- the odd blade held within the young man's hand seeming even more powerful then his own Gunblade , and also seemed to keep the odd creatures at bay...which so far, was a good thing, the creatures may not have put up much a fight, and were rather easy to dispose of, but they attacked in packs, and they just kept coming and coming. Squall sighed and grunted once more as he began to run towards the clearing- which had started to let slivers of light into the darkness, as if seeking it out to push it back, deep down into the lake where more shadows had emerged from.   
  
"What the hell were those?", Squall, as well as the others had finally made it to the clearing, and he was currently glaring back into the trees where they had came from. The feint glow of the eerie red and yellow eyes fading away as they shied away from the light, thankfully retreating to the shadows. Grunting once more, Squall looked towards his upper thigh and examined the tear in his pants, quickly checking to make sure his signature jacket wasn't damaged- thankfully, it wasn't, a few tree branches stuck to the sleeves- but that was about it. However, his leg was another story; there was a light cut across his upper left thigh that stretched down to his knee, a thin streak of blood running down his leg and staining the insides of his pants- causing the leather to stick to his skin uncomfortably. Sighing, Squall pulled his pant leg up to his knee and gently wiped off the excess blood- the cut wasn't deep, but there still was a lot of blood. After wiping the rest of the blood off, Squall looked upwards and tried to find Rinoa, spotting her sitting down with the odd girl that had burst off, causing Rinoa to do the same. Smirking, he strode over towards the two and slid down next to Rinoa, glancing at her lovingly as he spoke.  
  
"Hey...you ok?", he nodded towards the trees as he spoke. He knew that she didn't mean to burst out in anger and yell at everyone, but he wanted to make sure she wasn't physically hurt, Squall knew Rinoa could handle her own- but he also knew that she didn't think that. After all her training at Balamb Garden, and even before Balamb, she had amazed Squall- she didn't look like much...but she could take down creatures twice her size, and he didn't think she would fair to bad if she had fended off the shadow creatures herself. "Your not, hurt are you?". His eyes trailed up the lengths of Rinoa's body, checking for cuts or bruises- new cuts and bruises at least- seeing they were all hurt from the unexpected fall into the current dimension. However, he also realized the young girl that Rinoa had been speaking to, and seeing all nine of them looked like they would have to tolerate each other, he nodded towards her and forced a smile. C0cking his head as he spoke.  
  
"Squall Leonhart, I didn't get your name...", he looked upwards, as if thinking if she had indeed said her name. After a few moments, he nodded and extended a hand, hoping for her to shake it. Squall wasn't very sociable, he was still getting used to it after being influenced by Rinoa, who had 'taught' him to be out going and sociable, in return for more training in Garden- which he had been more then happy to give.  
  
**Riku**  
  
Riku merely quirked an eyebrow as the blonde girl he had saved walked towards him. Hesitating for a moment as she wrapped up his wound- it wasn't much, Riku had sustained much worse, but obviously it was her way of thanking him...as well as speaking in mixed gibberish and walking off again. Sighing, Riku rotated his shoulder to get used to the feel of the make shift bandage around his wound. The feint stains of blood shining through the cloth and darkening it with moisture. Simply rolling his eyes and brushing it off, Riku turned around and glanced at all of the nine warriors- most of them awake by now, and struggling to get used to their wounds.  
  
"There should be an Oasis east of here, the water has healing properties, and we will be safer from the heartless. If they ventured so close, they'll do it again, next time into the light- it won't keep them at bay for long", Riku spoke clearly, speaking up so that all could hear. If they had to move, then the strong could carry the unconscious with them- but Riku wanted to get to know more of the strange warriors, and if they truly were strong enough to suit his causes, and even though he felt no threat from any of them- nor from the heartless. It was obvious that the warriors knew nothing of the creatures, and therefore, wouldn't be able to hold their own for long, at least not until Riku explained what they were. Which was obviously sooner then he had planned, seeing as he said heartless, almost all of them glanced at him dumbfounded. Sighing, he sheathed his keyblade and ignored the blonde girls comment for now, saving it until he was done.  
  
"Heartless are what attacked us. Their creatures of the dark, formed of pure shadow, most attack in packs, they vary in shape and size, and power. Those were nothing compared to the ones that are in the deep of the forest, the ones that aren't afraid of the light". He nodded as he spoke, running a hand through his slivery hair and pulling out his blade once more, turning it in his hands and allowing it to catch the sunlight, replying to the young girl he spoke gibberish.  
  
"I do not know what Machina is, but this is called a Keyblade...its, unique". He pulled the blade back before he said anymore, he didn't want to reveal to much to the group until he found out what he was truly going to do with them. If they were capable enough, he would sue them to his own advantage, if they were not....well then, he would leave them for the more powerful heartless that inhabited the island. Having the creatures do his dirty work for them, and with their burdens being gone...he would go after the odd man and woman himself, and show them what the Keyblade could really do.

**Rikku **  
  
_They didn't become fiends though, did they?_  
  
For that was the fate of those that died violently in spira, if no one got to their bodies in time for a summoning, Even though the Al Bhed did not believe in yevon, it was still something that had to be done, not by a summoner, but anyone at all, through the hymn of the fayth.... But then she was probably being unreasonable, maybe that happened everywhere. So, there was only a brief flicker of pain in her eyes, and then it was gone. Rikku smiled, it would be rude and pointless to contradict her anyway, and after all she had always tried to be optimistic. It was in her nature, otherwise she would have killed herself a long time ago. Maybe someone _had_ found Gippal in time... and at least she was seeing new places... right? Right. Of course her inward pep talk didn't really help all that much, but at the moment there was nothing she could do. She had to stay positive. She had managed through out Yunie's journey, and that was where the worst hadn't happened, but was looming over their heads, this should be easy. A lot of people viewed her as a little ball of fluff, that wasn't true at all, but if she needed to she could hide her emotions like she had, trying to be cheerful and pretending that her cousin was not going off on a mission to die. In general though, she preferred to be up front about things.  
  
Rikku was about to respond when another girl came up with questions about what had happened, flinching when the girl almost fell on _her_ hurt ankle, breathing a quick sigh of relief that she had missed it, she gave her a sympathetic smile... that fall was hard on everyone.   
  
"Some sort of fiends attacked, he called them heartless."  
  
It was rather sweet how Squall came and checked up on Rinoa. Though, Rikku appreciated the gesture when he held out his hand. She was sure he must blame her for what happened, after all, if she hadn't run off, Rinoa wouldn't have, and those creatures wouldn't have attacked her, she blushed embarrassed that she had forgotten to introduce herself.  
  
"Oh how rude of me! I'm Rikku."  
  
Rikku tilted her head slightly and smiled impishly at the irony... then glancing over at Riku, her smile died. She was stilll angry, despite the fact that he'd save her, maybe even more so.  
  
Then Riku spoke, his voice carrying through out the clearing, so everyone could hear, and Rikku turned slightly, wonderinc once again where exactly he was planning to "guide" them,. She also wondered if he was from this world. He certainly knew about those heartless, and how to slay them, but then Squall did a pretty good job of that himself. Most of all though, the sword intrigued her. She knew some magic and she had knew machina. This seemed like a little bit of both, though she couldn't believe that Riku didn't know what machina was. She studied it while he could, but right after he called attention to it, he put it back in the sheathe.  
  
_Keyblade, huh?_  
  
She'd love to get a chance to look at it closely, but judging from the speed with which he put it away, she doubted she'd get the chance by just asking. She'd find away to liberate it though, temporarily of course. She just had to examine it. If he wanted trust, then what was he hiding? Rikku glanced at the others, to see what they thought about what he had said.  
  
She of course had a million questions. However, if this oasis did have some healing properties, she was all for it. She wondered if the effects endured when you took the water away from the spring or whether it was something about the source of the spring itself. With that thought, Rikku began to look through her pack again, now that she was more calm. The vials were in shards, and the pack was stained with al bhed potion and who knew what else... actually she was pretty lucky considering, some of the things she mixed up were volatile with mere contact. It would probably be a good idea to keep the pack away from fire anyway. As carefully as she could, but still managing to prick her fingers twice, Rikku brushed the broken glass into the center of the bag so she could search the corners of the bag. Her efforts paid off, and though the cap was busted off the vial, it was at the very least whole. Rikku smiled satisfied, now at least she had something to work with.


	4. The Forest Part 3

Author's Note: Soooo long...and to think, we're not even on chapter two yet! Sigh, but it's all in good fun!

**Cloud**  
  
Cloud had been about to answer Tifa's question when a scream pierced the air. Seeing others running to help he started to run aswell assuming that Tifa would follow. He assumed correct as he felt Tifa move with him until he heard the words escape her mouth. It was like slow motion as he turned around and she fell to the floor. "Tifa!", he shouted as he ran back to her, dropping to his knees and raising her head and shoulders into his arms. "Tifa, speak to me, please". Tears formed in his eyes as it seemed the damage to her head must be to blame. Of course she hadn't let him know as she didn't want him to worry and this is what happened. It annoyed him sometimes that she did such things when he could have helped her. Instead she was unconscious and he was upset.  
  
"Hey, can I get some help over here?! She's collapsed, a result of head trauma". He'd heard something about healing properties later as the others returned, hopefully they'd be able to get her there and get her better. _Please be ok, please be ok, please be ok_, he though, willing his love to pull through. He'd never really cared about anyone before, he was a radical but she'd changed that. He loved her more than anything in the world and in his life. If she didn't pull through he couldn't go on. "Come on Tifa, please wake up", he said pressing his cheek against her forehead. She was breathing and she'd been through a lot but he couldn't lose her this way - not as the result of a Sephiroth related plan. He'd already taken Aeris. If anything happened to Tifa he'd tear the place apart until he got to Sephiroth and he'd kill him.  
  
_Wait a minute_, he though, his mind racing. _That guy... Riku?, wasn't he just accused of killing that girl's friend. Yeah.. and he blamed it on Sephiroth, someone that doesn't let bystanders live yet this 'bystander' is standing here right now to tell the tale. Oh and he also knows where we are.. there's just something off about him. If he had anything to do with this, he's mine!_  
  
Gently resting Tifa's head down on the ground he directed Vincent to her side and walked towards Riku, ready to pull out his sword. "You, who the hell are you and what do you have to do with us being here? Or more preciesly what the hell do you have to do with Sephiroth and the fact that my girlfriend is lying there unconscious as a result of the fall that led us here?. He wanted an answer and he wanted the right one. If he didn't hear what he wanted to hear.. well, things wouldn't be pleasant for Riku.

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa had been momentarilly lost in her own little world until Squall broke into her thoughts. She smiled over at him, "I'm Okay..." She then frowned as her eyes studied his wounds, "But it looks like you're not fairing too well." She bit her lip as she reached over for his hand and squeezed it softly. She then heard Riku's words and sighed, she didn't want to trust him, but what other choice did they have? He was probably the only one that knew the place. Then Rinoa's eyes widened as she saw A blonde-haired man walk up to Riku and threaten him. It seemed everyone was bound to have an outburst on Riku at one point or another. Who would be next in line? Rinoa's gaze lingered on everyone as if studying them for any signs of anger. Then she realized what she was doing and snapped her gaze back at Cloud and Riku.  
  
_Seems like Riku has some serious explaining to do....at least...more in depth explaining...._  
  
Rinoa sighed before resting her head on Squall's shoulder. She was exhausted, and she would just about do anything to get some sleep in a comfy bed. By the looks of it, that wasn't happening anytime soon. She closed her eyes, and despite the chaos that was going on around her, started to drift off to sleep. She blinked open her eyes every so often, but the temptation of rest was eating away at her every second. She closed her eyes again and started to fall alseep on Squall.  
  
Rinoa was dreaming of going to Edea's prison again. She dreamt she heard someone behind her, and threw back her fist to punch whoever it was. She let out a howling shriek and opened her eyes, only to realize her fist had made contact with the tree, right above Squall's head. She winced and and started to make grumbling noises while shaking with pain.  
  
"Ow.."

**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall slowly shook his head as he watched Rinoa's eyes trail over his body, obviously disapproving of his wounds, but he would surely do It all over again if it came down to it. He loved Rinoa, and nothing was going to happen to her, no matter what. However, while he was gazing at Rinoa his eyes instantly drifted off towards where Riku stood, currently being threatened yet again by the blonde haired man with the large glimmering sword, which he obviously knew how to use. Studying the situation thoroughly, he was momentarily lost in Riku's reaction before immediately shooting a glance over his shoulder, only to see Rinoa's pale arm outstretched, and her fist dented within the tree trunk behind him.   
  
Allowing his eyes to dance across the length of Rinoa's arm, he merely sighed and frowned as she shook in pain. Wrapping his own palm around her fist and bringing it up to his lips, kissing it slightly as if that would make it better, and resting it in Rinoa's lap as she leaned up against him, his other hand raising up to her exposed arm and rubbing it up and down, trying to comfort her more as he rested his chin on her other shoulder. Glancing at her once more as he spoke, concern evident in his voice as he ignored the others around him, all attention focused on her.  
  
"Rinoa, are you ok?" he asked once more for what seemed like the millionth time. Continuing to run his hand up her arm as he spoke softly into her ear, obviously concerned for her well being. "Maybe we should get to the Oasis he was talking about, it'll make you feel better" He nodded and held her hand In his, rested on her lap before remembering the young girls response to his question...her name was Rikku as well? That was odd, and slightly entertaining in the same sense. Smirking, he looked up towards Rikku and smiled, hoping to make them all feel better.  
  
"Ironic", he forced a soft laugh into the conversation- once again trying to get used to being around everyone, and trying to unwind and dismiss the uneasiness that lingered in the air around the group, seeming to crackle absentmindedly like static electricity.  
  
**Riku**  
  
Riku's eyes remained covered by his eerie, yet attractive pale hair. Parted slightly to reveal his left eye, which was currently trailing the gaze of the girl who had introduced herself as Rikku...which was unsettling to say the least, his mind trying to ignore the fact that she seemed so infatuated by his Keyblade. He shouldn't have given her the name of his weapon in the first place, it was obvious it was mystical...and he knew she knew that it was, from the pure fact the Heartless were scared of it- seeing it was possibly the one thing that could destroy them all, it was forged from pure light...well at least, it was supposed to be, instead- Riku's was tainted with the darkness itself, the same darkness that consumed his heart and made him no better then the monsters he fought, in a sense...he was heartless as well.  
  
However, his thoughts were quickly diverted when the blonde man with the large sword approached him, his words actually causing a slow smirk to spread across his features. Was he actually threatening him? That was Clouds first mistake, if he tried to battle Riku...he wouldn't stand a chance, he held the Keyblade, and no one could defeat him with it. Sighing, Riku's hair remained over his face as he spoke, emotion lost within his features as he looked up towards Cloud, a daring glance piercing the air between the two as he spoke.  
  
"I've told you- my name is Riku. Sephiroth rudely interrupted me not to long ago, I escaped, and appeared here- where you all have been laying unconscious, prey for the darkness for who knows how long, and I- have nothing to do with the girl, but if you wish to revive her, I suggest you gather your strength. We move to the Oasis soon", he didn't give any room for discussion before rudely brushing Cloud off. Side-stepping the young man and standing in front of him, Cloud to his back as he watched Rikku stand up- obviously alright with making her way to the Oasis. He nodded and craned his neck to the side, giving Cloud one last comment in response to his rude threat.  
  
"And if you wish to make it to the Oasis, then do not test me- I am your guide, not your enemy. Yet, it is not wise to anger me", he smirked and brushed his hair out of his eyes. Gripping the Keyblade's hilt that he had sheathed, and standing in front of the group. Showing that they should get ready for the travel to the Oasis, the light was beginning to dim around the clearing, and once the darkness consumed it fully...Riku wouldn't be able to save them all.

**Rikku **  
  
Rikku grinned in response to Squall's comment, and reaching over she grabbed a largish sturdy looking branch. At which point a very angry guy with blonde hair (that was quite the spikiest she had ever seen) approached Riku angrily demanding answers, he was quite right to be angry at Riku, who was of course being obnoxiously vague. Mainly she recognized the worry, for what it was. Setting the branch across her lap, she surreptitiously watched the two men, wondering if it was going to escalate into a fight. Noting the smirk on Riku's face, she thought that perhaps he was being overly c.ocky. Mr. Spiky's stance was like just like Auron's, and he had probably been the deadliest man with a sword that she had ever seen. Not that Rikku knew all that much about fighting with those big swords, far too hampering, however, whenever Auron had that look, he had sliced a fiend into little bits before a minute had passed. Still with that odd keyblade of his... who knew. It would probably just be a bad situation all around if a fight broke out. Mostly she hoped that Spiky would get some answers, but of course, Riku just brushed him off and created even more questions in the process.  
  
_Interrupted what?_  
  
Shrugging, she decided she'd hold off on that question for the oasis, where she could only hope they could stay at least somewhat safely for a while. Digging the branch into the ground, she used it to get to her feet. There she was on her feet again and now she could use it as a crutch. She was about to head over to the fallen girl, when he made her way to the fallen girl, moving much faster then she had been just hopping around. Sitting down again, nodding at the brooding man, who was keeping a watch on the girl, she leaned forward examining her. She wasn't a medic by any means, but when you live in the desert, you have to know something, or you won't survive. She immediately picked up on the head wound, and sighing she pulled the last bolt of the colored scarf from her hair, letting her hair fall down to her waist, loose but for the random braids. She hated to bloody it, Gippal had given it to her, but this was more important and quickly she tied the bandage, staunching the blood flowing from the other girl's head. She hoped for the girl's sake and the sake of Spike, that the oasis did indeed have the healing properties that Riku had claimed. Getting to her feet again, she turned at Riku's comment, her braids swinging around also and smacking her in the face.  
  
_Eap! _  
  
Impatiently, she grabbed at her goggles that lay around her neck, which were thankfully unscathed from both falls, and pulled them up on top of her head, snapping them in place, so that they'd work as a headband. Leaning on the staff, she narrowed her eyes at Riku. She thought that all things considered eight against one would be rather good odds so he better wipe that smug smirk off his face. Abruptly, Rikku smiled.  
  
"Fine then, _kieta_, lead the way."  
  
Kieta meant guide, but he didn't know that... and once they got the oasis, assuming that Mr. C.ocky, was human and slept like normal people, then she'd get her chance to examine the keyblade, banish the mystery. Glancing at Spiky, she wondered if he was going to let it drop also, at least until they got his girlfriend to the oasis, or whether they'd have it out right now.

**Cloud**  
  
Cloud listened thoroughly but wasn't getting the right answers. All he heard just made him even more sure that this was not a friend, but a foe. No one simply escaped from Sephiroth, no matter how great and powerful this c0cky young man seemed to believe he was. Innocent bystanders, any bystanders, hell even anyone around Sephiroth was killed when they overstepped their usefulness. Yet this man escaped and knew everything about the place they had mysteriously fallen to. Who knew what awaited them at the Oasis? More 'heartless'? Sephiroth? Who was to say that Riku didn't just help the young girl to gain their trust, only to betray them later. Cloud was not taking the girl he loved anywhere this man led them, this supposed 'guide'. There was something about his attitude, his confidence – he knew more than he let on. He didn't seem scared of him, that wasn't wise and it wasn't wise to simply push him aside to the extent of even taunting and patronising him. He said he was not their enemy, who said he wasn't guiding them to Sephiroth, to death.  
  
Looking over to his beloved, unconscious and bloody on the floor of this unknown land, Clouds anger soared. He wanted Tifa to get better and maybe the Oasis was a place she could be healed, but he was certain his group could get there. In fact they'd all get there because unlike Riku, no one else knew where they were and seemed to be in the same predicament as Cloud. Riku though that just because he was a guide and could 'help' them that he was untouchable, well he was wrong. It wasn't wise to test him? Oh he'd test him alright, in fact he'd had enough of talking. _Fine, lets see how tough you are against me you c0cky son of a...._  
  
"You know what, it's not wise to anger me either, but then again – it's a bit too late for that", he said as he spun Riku around by his shoulder. Swiftly drawing his sword from it's sheath as he directed it through the air aiming at Riku. He'd probably deflect it, he seemed skilled enough, he held a good looking blade but no one was as skilled as cloud except Sephiroth and it'd be his turn soon. First though, he'd be a guide himself, he'd guide his sword straight through this guy.

**Riku**   
  
Riku's silent smirk could be perceived as arrogant and c0cky to some, yet he had been trapped in a void of pure darkness for years, and currently, Cloud was the only entertainment he had gotten in five years. Ignoring the blonde man behind him, he nodded towards Riku and gripped his Keyblade as he glanced out towards the dense thick greens around them. Which were becoming darker by the second, tendrils of shadow seeming to slither across the ground, like intangible snakes- waiting to pounce on their prey- and when they did, Riku wasn't going to be there. He nodded and took a step forward, pulling out his Keyblade to start cutting a path into the trees for the others to follow- yet as he set his eyes on the smooth blade of his weapon, his eyes instantly caught the reflection of Cloud's body leaping into action- or more precisely, Cloud's hand reaching towards his shoulder. Spinning around just as Cloud layed a hand on his shoulder, Riku rolled his eyes and pulled out his weapon to its full extent, easily parrying Cloud's blow and catching his blade within the indents of where the 'Key' shape of his weapon formed out.  
  
"I am _not_ your enemy", his emotionless eyes stared into Cloud's, his weapon holding Cloud's over sized sword effortlessly, he didn't want to fight Cloud- he knew by the look of him he was a Warrior, and eventhough Riku was confident in his tactics, he didn't want to kill a potential 'aquantince' so soon, if Cloud proved useful...then he could be helpful, at least somewhat. Sighing, Riku pushed on his blade, downward- bringing Cloud's blade towards the ground, showing him that Riku did not wish to battle. The shadows were stretching further into the light, beginning to swallow it whole and expand the darkness even more- and Riku _did_ infact want to get the group safely to the Oasis, he wasn't completely lying in the fact that he wanted to guide them, he was just undecided in his own alleigance, if he was going to use them for his own self gain, or if he was going to truely, help them and guide them through this world.  
  
"The Heartless are attracted to your anger, I will answer questions once we get to the Oasis", he nodded as he spoke. Swinging the keyblade in a large wide arc out infront of him, the blade easily slicing through most of the greens and cutting the beginning of a rather crude path in the direction he remembered the Oasis being in. Looking over his shoulder and speaking to the group as a whole, resting the keyblade at his side as he spoke.  
  
"If your well enough, carry the wounded. Everyone stay together, the Oasis isn't far, but if you wander off in this World- you may never be found". With those final words, Riku turned back to the trees and slashed his blade once more, cutting a clean slice across a tree branch, which fell to the floor beside him not a few moments afterward. Stepping into the trees and cutting the dangerous throwns and vines he found, cutting a path to the Oasis...which was not very far off.  
  
**Squall Leonhart**   
  
Squall glanced towards Rikku as she obviously was amused by his comment, watching the events around him as the blonde young man confronted Riku. His own eyes hardening as he over heard their conversation- this was no time for fighting. And Squall was beginning to stand when Riku took the words right out of his mouth, somwhat. They had all been thrown into a situation that they weren't familair with, but they were all obviously warriors- so they could get through it, if they worked together. Eventhough Squall wasn't in a hurry to befriend Riku, he had no choice but to trust the man until they learned more about him, so far he had done nothing to harm any of them, saved one of their group from a slow excruating death- and eventhough Squall had no doubt Riku had done that to gain respect from the group...Squall had seen it in his eyes. The feint flicker of emotion in his eyes when Riku heard the scream, and eventhough it was Rinoa's...he had known about Rikku as well, and for a brief moment, Squall thought he saw fear in Riku's eyes, not for himself...but for Rikku.  
  
"Rinoa, you ok' to walk?" he spoke towards Rinoa whilst standing up, running his fingers along her raven dark hair and looking towards Quistis- who was in no shape to walk on her own yet. He had no doubt that he would have to help her at least half the way to the Oasis, and Rikku didn't look too good either- or at least, her ankle didn't. He sighed and lowered a hand out infront of him, for Rinoa to grasp and pull herself up with. His eyes dancing across the crowd of people and landing on the unconcious girl the blonde man had spoken about- her wound had seemed to lessen in blood flow since Rikku had helped, but he knew they had to get to the Oasis soon, or she wouldn't make it out.  
  
"Siefer, make yourself useful and help Riku", he craned his neck over his shoulder as he spoke. Directing it towards Seifer before glancing back towards Rinoa, the slashing sounds of Riku's sword becoming less and less audible as he continued ahead of the group, obviously wanting to see if there was any Heartless dwelling in their way- and to dispose of them before the creatures had the chance to attack the weak and injured.

**Cloud Strife**  
  
As he brought his sword down, the attack was blocked, just as Cloud had suspected. It was caught in an indent of the sword, looking somewhat like a key. He figured it was the Keyblade as mentioned earlier, made perfect sense but he was too angry before to care. Usually in a battle like this he would enjoy it and although he knew he could win, he wanted to get Tifa to safety, to the Oasis.  
  
"Fine", he said, lowering his sword after Riku's decline to fight. "We'll get the wounded healed first but let me tell you, you ran from Sephiroth, well I'm as skilled with a sword as he is and if this Oasis is some sort of trick then we will fight whether you'd like to or not, and I will kill you". With that he turned from Riku and replaced his sword in it's sheath. Walking over to his love Tifa, he let Rikku know that even though he was fighting, he noticed her kind act with a simple yet heartfelt; "Thank you". He added a smile and a gentle touch on the shoulder with it, showing he meant it with the look in his eyes. He then walked over to Tifa, leaned down, picked her up in his arms and kissed her on the forehead.  
  
"It's ok baby, you're going to be fine", he said before looking towards Vincent and Yuffie. "Come on, let's go.. there's not much else we can do and there's no way I'm losing Tifa". With that he set off after Riku, still unhappy with his answers but more concerned about Tifa to let it get in the way, there'd be time for more of that later. He had absolutely no intention of wandering off, he'd get Tifa to the Oasis even if it meant his life. If the heartless came, they came, if Sephiroth showed up, he showed up but Tifa was going to make it to the Oasis and she would live.

**Rikku **  
  
Rikku watched as Riku tramped off into the woods. She guessed that settled it, but she didn't think for very long though. She gave Cloud a small smile when he thanked her then watching as he lovingly picked up the girl, she felt her heart wrench for Gippal and for the blonde man and the unconscious girl. She wouldn't die, she couldn't, she had seen so much death in her short life, she didn't want to see any more. Rikku gave him a determined nod.  
  
"She'll live, she's a fighter, I can tell."  
  
Rikku turned away, concentrating on walking with the crutch, she didn't want to be a hassle.  
  
**Vincent **  
  
Vincent watched the scene with an indecipherable look on his face, then looked down at Tifa. Hearing Rikku's comment he nodded.  
  
"She'll be fine."  
  
Then standing up swiftly he walked over to Yuffie, who was limping around, and without saying a word he grabbed her arm to help her along.

**Rinoa**  
  
"Squall for the 50th time, I'm fine, okay? Now be a pal and go help Quistis, she's in bad shape." Rinoa smiled at him and gave him a small kiss on the lips, before reaching inside her coat and pulling out her pinwheel, which basically looked like a crossbow. Rinoa smoothed out her hair before dusting off her clothing and looking around at the group. "This is it, we most likely we'll have to fight, so I suggest you prepare your weapons, if you choose not to, well then, you'll probably get hurt. Even though I don't know half of you, I don't want that to happen."  
  
Rinoa smiled slightly before walking over to Rikku and whispering, "By The way, if you didn't already hear me talking before, my name's Rinoa." She gave her a smile before examining her ankle. "Yeah, Seifer should definitely help you out, he's an okay guy, except, he can be a jerk sometimes." Rinoa laughed slightly. She _would_ use her powers on Rikku's ankle, but sometimes it took _way_ too much out of her. Rinoa thought it would be best to offer anyway, "Want me to heal that for you?" She gestured towards the other girl's ankle.  
  
Rinoa heard a rustling in the trees behind her and bit her lip, "Err...Hold that thought." With that, she turned and saw that it was now getting visibly darker in the clearing, almost all the light was gone. That was when she saw the creature, the heartless, start to spring out. Rinoa shot it with her pinwheel twice, and it was instantly defeated, but she knew more would come. Rinoa turned to the others with urgency in her soft voice, "I suggest we get out of here Now! More will be here very soon." She heard the sound of more coming and she side-rolled onto the ground as one jumped towards her.  
  
Rinoa got up and started to shoot at them, before standing in front of the injured members of the party, as to protect them. "Come on! We Need to Go NOW!" She shouted this as she continued to shoot her weapon. "Hey Over here!" She shouted this as to focus the heartless's attention onto herself. It succeeded, She ran into the forest, but made sure the clearing was still in sight. She knew she could protect herself easily. Rinoa started to shoot at a rapid pace at the heartless, and urged the others to get out of there.  
  
"I'll follow soon!" She shouted from behind the trees and she continued to dodge, roll, duck, spin, and shoot the heartless. Rinoa was lucky not to be harmed by any of them yet, but she didn't know how long she could hold, which was why she wished the rest of them would get out of the clearing, they would most likely have a better chance at escaping now, then if she went back with them. Rinoa sighed loudly before continuing her struggle with the heartless.  
  
**Seifer**  
  
Seifer glared at Squall for giving him orders, besides...did he have any power to do that when they were lost in an unknown world? However, he knew there were more important things happening, so he complied. Seifer waited until they were ready to go, but then the chaos started. He heard all of what Rinoa said and sighed, It seemed it was going to be another long night. Seifer was about to let Rikku walk out on her own, when he realized that she was going way too slow. Seifer smirked before sneaking up behind Rikku and swinging her legs out from underneath her.  
  
He Held her against his chest and started to walk out of the forest. That was until he heard Rinoa's urgent shouts for them to leave quickly. She didn't have to tell him twice. Seifer bolted out of the forest and started to follow Riku, after all he was their guide, and Seifer knew he wouldn't get far if he didn't follow him. Seifer turned for a moment to see if the others were coming, if they didn't, most likely they would die, or at least be seriously hurt.  
  
He sighed, Why did he care? He didn't know half of these people, it didn't matter to him if they died, most likely they deserved it. Or Did they? Seifer was still having a hard time making up his mind, he wondered wether he should help, or let the destruction happen. For now, anyway, he would help, otherwise it would 'cause his _own_ destruction and that could not happen under _any_ circumstances. So Seifer waited until the others caught up, partially because Riku was starting to stop and wait for them too.  
  
_I don't even know why I do half of these things..._

**Cloud Strife**  
  
Cloud nodded at Rikku's statement, offering her a brief, determined smile. Then he swiftly headed after Riku until he heard Rinoa's shouts. The decision was an instant one, he was going to help. "Vincent, take Tifa, make sure she gets to the Oasis. I'm counting on you and so is she", he said handing Tifa over to him with a last kiss on her forehead - not a goodbye, a 'see you soon' , she'd be fine the next time they kissed. "Go, now!".  
  
With that he drew his sword and ran backwards towards Rinoa, slicing one of the heartless in half without a second thought, he'd said she was getting to the spring and this would help to ensure it would, it would also increase the changes of Rinoa surviving the attack for who knew how many heartless were coming. He felt partly to blame as they were drawn to his anger but he couldn't think about that now. Seeing another two jump out he finally got a look at them, they were dark, empty, depressing and he could tell by their eyes, they were simply pure evil. They could take his heart if they managed to but not without one hell of a fight, they would not however get Tifa's.  
  
"Hey... Rinoa, we've got to keep them back as long as we can, it's the only chance for us all to get out of this alive". More kept coming as they begun to multiply but he managed to avioid them performing rolls and dodges before slicing them multiple ways. Rinao, he could see, was also more than holding her own and with every kill they made and the more time they fought, the others- and Tifa were closer to the Oasis and closer to being restored. The darkness closed in on him but he could tell they were putting a dent in them somewhat like a ray of light. There was hope and there was life, and he'd fight with every last breath so that Tifa, and the others would live. Of course, he also planned that he and Rinoa would get out of it. Although the heartless kept coming he could tell that himself and Rinoa had the advantage, as they were accomplishing what they wanted, to distract the heartless. The heartless didn't care, as long as they got hearts, but they wouldn't be getting any that day. "That's it, we're gonna do this", he said, taking a glance over to Rinoa who had just killed another one of the heartless. "They can't be far now, that Riku guy said it was close". With that he continued to fight...

**Riku**   
  
Riku was well ahead of the others, his eyes wrapped with a blind-fold he had taken out of his pocket, it helped him concentrate- and the area around him was pitch black anyway, he had spent years in the dark...he knew how to manuvere it. He just hoped the others could follow the sound of his keyblade slicing through the darkness, and follow his lead. However, as the first beams of sunlight began to break into the darkness as they neared the Oasis, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, turning his head and taking off his blind-fold in one swift movement, the light ahead of him giving him enough illumination to make out both the man who had threatned him, as well as Rinoa sprinting off _deeper_ into the forest...which he had said specifically not to do. Opening his mouth, he let out a startled...and somewhat, fearful voice for the others. His words echoing through the darkness as he looked off towards where he had last seen the two Warriors.  
  
"NO! Do not go into the Forest!". His words came out more genuine then he had wanted, and he quickly remembered the gaining Warriors behind him- who were depending on him, Riku may not have shown it...but he didn't know what he was going to do, he was still undecided- but he did know one thing- he did not want anyone to die...at least not yet. Grunting, he turned back to his slicing and dicing as he ran through the forest, yelling over his shoulder as he did so- approaching the light which seemed to wash out of the Oasis not to far ahead.  
  
"Everyone! Stay close, keep running!", his own movements sped up, although he made sure to stay back long enough for the rest to catch up with him. His eyes locked infront of him, he hoped the young blonde haired man and Rinoa were strong...or they might not make it out of the darkness alive.  
  
**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall stopped in his tracks as well, having followed up the rear behind the others, Quistis's arm latched in his, and her arms held by his arms as he sprinted into the forest. Following the others and watching as Rinoa dove off into the forest, attempting to drag the Heartless with her. Letting out a startled cry, Squall stopped in his own tracks as Riku slowed as well, obviously as surprised as he was. He began to sprint off into the woods after Rinoa when he remembered Quistis in his arms, he looked down into her eyes and frowned, looking ahead and catching Riku's eyes. At first, Riku seemed sure not to let Squall leave...but obviously, he had seen something into the young SeeD members eyes- something that reminded him of his love for Kari, and Riku was at his side in a moment, taking Quistis and telling him to go after her, before sprinting off ahead of the group towards the Oasis, which was becoming visible from the darkness.  
  
"Quistis, don't worry- We'll _all_ be back". He frowned once more for leaving Quistis with only Seifer- and the others which he knew nothing about, although he knew Quistis could hold her own- she was also wounded, and if Riku hurt her at all...he was going to have to go through him. Shaking his head, Squall pulled out his sword and sprinted off into the deeper parts of the forest, before catching the beautiful blue of Rinoa's coat, as he spotted her and the unknown man, his eyes instantly lit up in hopefullness, and he quickly pulled the trigger and shot what looked like a heartless that was emerging from even more darker shadows, that oddly seemed to be surrounding them. However, as the bullet pierced the Heartless, it didn't explode like usual....instead- it seemed to slither away, which was when Squall discovered it wasn't a heartless he had shot...but, a **tail** of a much LARGER Heartless.  
  
"RINOA!", he quickly rolled towards his love, as well as the blonde man who had ran after her. Glancing up towards the creature he had shot, which was much taller- and more powerful then the smaller ones. It had seemed Riku hadn't been lying when more stronger creatures dwelled deeper in the forest...and it looked like they were face to face with one...and were being surrounded by a few more. Waving his Gunblade out infront of him, he killed a few more of the smaller heartless creatures, but they seemed to have backed away, allowing their larger brethen to take control. Tightening his grip on his Gunblade, he glanced towards Riona and the blonde haired man, signaling that they needed to get back to the Oasis as soon as possible...these heartless were much bigger, much stronger...and Squall wasn't so sure, that with all their injuries from the fall- that they could take them, or at least...not all of them, not without the others. For more larger creatures were beginning to emerge from the blanket of darkness that had engulfed them, one after another...

**Vincent **  
  
Vincent nodded and setting Yuffie upright he let Cloud drop Tifa into his arms. Briefly he considered shifting so he could carry both of them, but Yuffie wasn't too much the worse for wear, she'd make it. Running as fast as he could, the three finally made it to the clearing. Immediately he walked over and setting Tifa next to the Oasis, he cupped some water in his hands and poured it over her head. If this spring was as potent as some of the ones back in their world, the wounds would heal.  
  
**Rikku **  
  
Rikku hobbled along as fast as she could, which still wasn't that fast, but she was trying when that other blond guy Seifer came up behind her and grabbing her began to run.  
  
"H-Hey! Wait! No, I can--"  
  
The blonde guy obviously wasn't listening, and as more heartless arrived, she decided she might as well silence her protests for now. Finally the burst out of the woods at the oasis and the creatures didn't seem to follow. She turned and narrowed her eyes at Seifer, and began to squirm, rather annoyed with the pick up and run, despite what was going on.  
  
"Ok, you can set me down now!"

**Cloud Strife**  
  
Cloud thought he heard shouts in the distance as he continued to fight the heartless. One sounded like Riku but he couldn't be sure. The other, on the other hand, was confirmed as a man broke into the clearing.._Squall is it?_. Cloud turned as he killed two more heartless and witnessed one of Squall's shots. A shot at a black mass similar to the heartless but that didn't dissapear. The creature turned around and left Cloud only with the word; "crap".   
  
"Umm, Rinoa...we've got some bigger problems, lirerally", he said as he killed a few more, noticing another large heartless appear. Running towards the previously shot biggun he sliced through it with his sword, but still it survived. Another through slices in it's body and still nothing.. even though it was barely left standing. "Squall, give it one more in the head", he said, checking on Rinoa while disposing of another, what know seemed to be mini heartless. _And we were worried about the other ones.. i sure hope Tifa's ok.. they should be there by now_.  
  
"Squall, how close are they to the Oasis, or in more blunt terms, how long till we can get the hell out of here?!", he said while moving from the swipe of a large heartless. Rinoa was lucky she wasn't alone and they were both lucky Squall had come to help or they'd be dead and so would the others, including Tifa. _I must remember to thank him after_, he thought, completely trusting these new allies. They both seemed very skilled with their weapons, they were all great warriors and were there for a reason.. something to do with Riku... or perhaps just Sephiroth. For now though, the enemy was the heartless and while the numbers of the smaller ones were dwindling, more large ones were appearing. If he was correct and the others had reached the Oasis, the three could definately fight their way out and back to their personal friends and newly aquainted allies.

**Seifer**  
  
Seifer shielded his eyes as the sudden light of the oasis spilled into his eyes. He then set Rikku down and looked at her, clearly annoyed. "I could at least get a thanks, I mean, you were injured, and I offered to help, out of the kindness of my heart." Seifer smirked before walking over to the water and examing it.  
  
He didn't see how this place was so magical, unless it proved to heal _everyone's_ wounds. Seifer sighed before turning around and studying everyone's expressions, some were fearful, some were bored, some looked like they were out of breath. He couldn't help but flash a huge grin at the sight, but he had a feeling they would question him so he stopped.  
  
**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa knew they had to get out of there, she knew there was no way that they would be able to defeat whatever this large creature was, under any circumstances. Rinoa bit her lip, Squall was a few feet away from her, and Cloud a few inches. She studied the path back towards the Oasis and decided it wouldn't be that hard to get back.  
  
"Okay...Let's get out of here." Just as she said this, Rinoa was trapped in darkness, she couldn't see Squall or Cloud and she was shaking with a new fear. "Squall?" She realized the creatured must have blocked her off from them. Rinoa sighed and looked for a way around the creature. She winced and cried out as white-hot pain was sent up her stomach. She felt her skin tear on her stomach, and realized that she had been cut, but she didn't know how severe it was. She was tired, and losing strength quickly.  
  
Rinoa was just about to give up hope when she saw the shadows move, and she saw Squall again. Rinoa examined the wound and decided it wasn't too bad. She then bolted towards Squall and grabbed his hand. That's when the huge tail of the creature came swining towards them. Rinoa tackled Squall to the ground with all her strength, despite the pain in her stomach. She then pulled him up and motioned Cloud to follow them as they fled the dark forest.  
  
Rinoa made out the clearing through the darkness and pulled Squall down the path towards the Oasis. Finally all three made it to the Oasis, without much damage. Rinoa collapsed onto the ground tiredly, her heart beating at a rapid pace. She took long and heavy breaths and looked around to make sure everyone had arrived safetly, and they had.  
  
_Now...where do we go from here?_

**Riku**  
  
Riku had made it to the Oasis as all the others did, except Squall, Rinoa- and the man that had threatened him, which didn't sit with him too well . He knew that they should have stayed together, who knew what dark forces lurked in the forests shadows, the sunlight only managed to creep through the large canopy of leaves and branches in some areas of the forest, and even those area became blanketed with cold and darkness as nightfall came...which hopefully, wasn't close. Riku was thankful he had arrived during the daylight, for when the sun went down, the forest was even more dangerous then it was when light flushed through the shadows. Larger, more powerful and primitive creatures emerged, the original heartless that inhabited the Forest planet. Sighing, Riku shook his head and looked back towards the Oasis, small flecks of silver and white energy swirling underneath the waters surface, obviously the healing Magick that flourished within its clear waters. Sighing once more, Riku dipped his arms in the water and brought splashes all over his body, the blood that ran from his shoulder instantly glowing white hot as it simply faded from view, that same energy filling his shoulder wound and healing it completely. As well as all of the other wounds he had encountered.  
  
"Get the wounded into the Oasis, the healing properties will work faster if they are within the water", he spoke as he watched a rather quite looking man cup water and wash it over the badly wounded girl that the blonde haired man had been so worried about. Taking his hands out of the water and standing up, fully healed and refreshed as he looked towards the group. Motioning for the others to make contact with the water, the light that flourished in the clearing seemed to be...pure, it was as if the Oasis itself poured pure bright light out of its depths, keeping the darkness at bay- and becoming one of the only safe spots from the Heartless and numerous other monsters when the sun went down.  
  
"There's no telling when the sun will go down, we should set up camp here as soon as possible. Travel into the forest for supplies in groups, we rest tonight, and plan our next moves in the morning", his words weren't orders as they were guidance suggestions, he himself didn't want to explore the forest when the moon, or rather _moons_ rose- which was when the darkness had its most pull, when it was most powerful.  
  
**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall shifted his gaze through the darkness, holding his blade out in front of him and shooting another bullet towards the one the blonde haired man...who he believed was Cloud instructed, slashing another shadowy tendril at his feet and slicing it In half. He completely agreed, they needed to get to the Oasis soon- but before he could even think of how to answer Cloud's question Rinoa already had him on the ground, before abruptly pulling him upwards and rushing both of the young men out of the darkness, the large creature behind them letting out a large ear splitting bellow which rocked the trees themselves, slamming a massive shadowy fist into the nearest tree, and smashing it in two. The loud crack of the bark shredding to pieces filling the forest as well.  
  
However, once he got out into the opening of the Oasis the first thing he had on his mind was Rinoa, who he had noticed was bleeding from her stomach, as well as many other wounds as well. Struggling to regain his own footing as he knelt down next to Rinoa, he winced in pain from his leg wound and picked her limp body up, catching Riku saying that the healing properties worked best if they were in the water. So without hesitation, seeing how well it worked on Riku, he rested Rinoa closet to the Oasis, picking up large amounts of the water and dumping it over on her exposed body, the magickal energy hopefully filling her wounds and healing them up completely, as they did with his own wounds as he splashed large amounts of water on himself. Taking off his beautiful jacket and setting it down beside him, warming up Rinoa slightly with it as he glanced headlong towards Cloud, smiling genuinely towards the man and nodding towards him in thanks.  
  
"Thanks...Cloud right? We couldn't have gotten out of there without you, and I owe you...for helping Rinoa", he smiled once more and turned back to Rinoa, hoping her wounds had healed up as he stroked her cheek. Brushing out her beautiful silkily raven hair and leaning in to kiss her on her lips, sitting down next to her as he continued to wash over her wounds with the water. Looking down at her Pinwheel and smiling sadly towards her.  
  
"Glad you still know how to use that thing, you were amazing back there", he nodded as he spoke. Continuing to stroke her cheek, he wanted to make Rinoa realize her true potential- he had trained her in Balamb, as he was- and she could do more then hold her own against enemies, as she did with the Shadow Monster. He just needed to make her realize that she wasn't helpless, she never was...ever since the day he had met her- he saw the fire in her, and she just had to find it, and use it.


	5. The Oasis Chapter 2

**Author's Note: _Finally!! Chapter Two! Enjoy guys...'cause it only gets longer, and better._**

**Rikku **  
  
Rikku glared at the back of Seifer. Sure he had helped, but did he have to be so touchy feely about it? Suddenly her glare turned into a smile, and she hopped over, having lost her crutch when he had abruptly picked her up. Thus arriving, she gave him a sweet smile.  
  
"You're right. I didn't thank you."  
  
Rikku's smile turned evil and with a big push she shoved the opportunist into the oasis.  
  
"Thank y—"  
  
Rikku's face adopted a startled look as her ankle gave out again, and losing her balance she went tumbled into the water after him, rather shocked by the coldness of it and rather wishing she'd had the foresight to realize she couldn't brace herself when she shoved Seifer in, due to her foot. It was much colder than the desert oasis... obviously. She spluttered as she broke the surface, soaked through, her long wet hair plastered to her face. She turned to Seifer with a glare.  
  
"Cold!!!! This is all your faul--- hey my ankle! It doesn't hurt anymore!"  
  
Then hearing Riku's comment, she moved over to where Vincent had Tifa...  
  
"Yeah like he says... just dunk her, almost to the mouth so you get her head... it'll fix right up!"  
  
Then crawling to the edge, she began to climb out.  
  
**Vincent **  
  
Vincent shrugged and glancing at Cloud, he set Tifa in the water, making sure to keep her face above the surface. He figured he'd better do it otherwise Cloud would just notice the similarities to this and Aeris, and Tifa was going to be fine. Vincent nodded at Yuffie who was still holding back seeing the coldness of the water.  
  
"Dunk your foot in."  
  
Why did she always make things difficult?

**Seifer**  
  
Seifer grumbled in anger and shot death glares at Rikku. He shook water from his blonde hair before climbing out of the water, completely drenched. "Nice, you ruined my coat. Ungrateful little--" He stopped himself and muttered curse words under his breath, while trying to squeeze the cold water out of his trench coat. At least his wounds had healed, which was the only thing he was greatful for. Now if he could just get his hands on that crazy, hyper, lousy good for nothing....well if he could get his hands on Rikku, he would have strangled her.  
  
Seifer muttered a few more obscenities before standing alone in the corner, clearly not wanting to be bothered. If Rikku so much as smiled at him, he would have both hands wrapped around her throat in an instant. Nothing would give him more pleasure than to see her in pain. Destruction...Pain....That was what he stood for, before. Before now, before he became what he was this exact moment, undecided....A story without a conclusion. A choice not yet made. Seifer truthfully didn't know what he wanted, but he hoped being on this journey would give him some kind of guidance.  
  
Seifer also noticed something else, Riku seemed to have the same inner-feelings as he did. He could tell that Riku was also battling with the choices of good and evil. They actually had a lot more in common than he thought, of course he would never let on to that, not in a million years. For now he had to be content with studying Riku's choices, and seeing what path he ended up choosing. For now, he had to play the role of goodie, unless he wanted to be thrown out on his own. As tempting as it sounded to be lost in the darkness, it was also dangerous. For now, he would let light devour him.  
  
**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa ran her fingers through Squall's hair and smiled. Her wounds had healed, and she was feeling completely better, both physically and emotionally. Squall always knew how to make her feel better, no matter the situation. She kissed him softly on the lips and hugged him closely to her chest. "Thanks, You know, Squall, that really means a lot." She smiled again, before resting her chin on his shoulder. Just knowing he was there, made her feel like she could go through anything, anything at all. She continued to run her fingers through his hair.  
  
"Squall, do you think we'll ever get out of here? I'm not scared, it's just, I miss it all, you know?" She sighed softly before looking around at everyone else, for about the hundredth time that day. They all seemed to be fairing well, despite everyone being tired, she was no exception. Rinoa felt as if she could dose off right in Squall's arms, but she had to make sure everyone was okay, it was her job, to worry, to protect. Rinoa buried her head deeper into Squall's chest and took in his scent. Leather mixed with a piney scent.  
  
Rinoa loved that smell, and loved Squall, more than life itself. She knew she would do anything for him, even give up her life for him. Just thinking about him brought a smile to her face. She didn't even know how she would survive without him, but thinking about it brought tears to her eyes. Rinoa wanted to spend the rest of her life with him, even if it _was_ in some unknown world that they may never leave. As long as she was with him, nothing bad could ever happen.

**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall's face instantly brightened considerably as Rinoa kissed him, obviously fully healed, in more ways then one. Smirking as she hugged him, he brought one hand to stroke the back of her hair, and the other stroking her back, rubbing it reassuringly as he rested his own chin on her exposed shoulder, looking in his reflection in the Oasis as he did so, nothing mattering but the two of them...for now. It took a moment for Squall to answer her first question...because in reality, he didn't know. They had all been thrown into this unwanted situation, and even though it seemed like ages ago, it hadn't been that long ago. Or maybe it had been, maybe they had been knocked out for ages and ages...who knew. Sighing, Squall lifted up his head and stared Rinoa in her eyes, his nose rested on hers, and his forehead on hers as well, her beautiful presence brightening his mood just by looking at her.  
  
"I miss it too..." he sighed lowly and breathed, his senses wafting Rinoa's scent, her _aura _It seemed. He merely smiled vaguely and continued to stare into her eyes, kissing her on her cheek and speaking once more, his words much more sturdy and certain then before. "But we're together, that's all that matters", his words were true- and they sounded just that. Although the look Squall gave Rinoa told that they were going to get back to their own world, no matter what it took. They still had to look at the big picture, Edea was loose, and if she was somehow involved in the situation...they had to stop her, no matter what the costs.  
  
Shaking his head, he backed away slightly and looked around, catching sight of Quistis, who Riku had obviously laid up near the base of a tree, feeling horrible for leaving her with him. Squall glanced towards Rinoa and craned his neck towards his former instructor, indicating that they should help heal her. Standing up, Squall walked over towards Quistis and helped her up, guiding her over to the Oasis and eventually over the edge, leaning her legs in, and splashing more water on the exposed skin of her body, healing her up as they had been. "You ok?" his words were much clearer then they had been previously, a result of the Oasis- it had healed him, both physically and mentally, and he felt much better then before  
  
**Riku**  
  
Riku glanced over towards the others as they healed themselves and their comrades, his emotionless eyes scanning the outline of the clearing, where the trees met the light and the shadows retreated deeper into the forest. And for the first time...the wielder of the Key blade spotted coconut looking shapes hanging from the tops of a few trees, curious, he walked over- and sure that the Heartless weren't inhabiting the illuminated tree's, he unsheathed his keyblade and swiped at the coconut looking shapes. Cutting them loose and watching as they fell onto the ground- and when they hit...they sounded...hollow, quirking an eyebrow he picked the coconut up and tossed it in the air, gathering the rest of them and taking them near the base of a rather large tree, surrounded by a few rocks that dotted the clearing near the Oasis.  
  
_'These could be...useful_, Riku thought to himself as he glanced into the Oasis, his reflection showing the 'coconut' in his hand once more, when suddenly...he got an idea. Taking his weapon in his hand, he held it above the 'coconut' and swiftly sliced downwards, cutting open the circular hollow object and looking inside- it was a rather smooth surface inside, and they seemed to be a type of fruit that Riku had remembered from the forest when he had visited, although obviously the liquidly content had already been sucked out by animal creatures, for their were two small teeth marks on the side, where the animals had sucked the liquid from.  
  
However, Riku had another use for them, dipping them into the Oasis, he filled up half of the 'coconut' and smirked, if he could cut down some of the none lethal vines in the forest, he would be able to create multiple holders for the Oasis water, or any other supplies and good they found. For when they traveled off in the morning, they would need to make sure they were prepared, so if Riku's idea worked, then they would be able to cut the hollow fruits open and fill them up with the Healing Water, then tie them together with vines, hopefully creating a portable, magickal- 'first aid kid'.

**Tifa **  
  
Tifa felt like she were slapped awaked when she was emerged in the water. She awoke with a gasp and began to struggle a bit not knowing what was happening, she stopped when she realized there were hands holding her up.  
  
"Geeze, it's freezing."  
  
She nodded her thanks to Vincent, who let her go, then cast her gaze around for Cloud, finding that he was looking at her with an extremely worried expression on his face. Tifa flinched inwardly, immediately recognizing what this looked like... aeris's funeral. Amazed at how much better she felt, she walked over to Cloud, wanting to hold him, but not wanting to get him all wet.  
  
**Rikku **  
  
Getting to her feet, Rikku glanced back at Seifer who was still in the oasis, and just barely managed to cover the smirk on her face. It really did serve him right. Actually, it wasn't too hard, it was freaking cold and she was sopping wet and wasn't exactly in the desert environment she had dressed for. She twirled her foot around extremely pleased that it was back to normal, she hated being hampered. Hopping up and down slightly to quell the cold, she looked around at the others trying to distract herself from it.  
  
She pointedly did not glance at Seifer, having the feeling that if she did, she'd laugh and he'd throttle her, so instead she looked around at the others. That one girl still didn't seem to want to go into the water... she bet that the dark haired man would likely throw her in soon, he had that sort of look. The blonde woman Squall was currently helping looked extremely worn out, and Rinoa seemed only to be waiting for Squall's return. Once again, Rikku realized that she really was all alone in this place, I mean sure they would help each other out, but really what did anyone care about a lost Al Bhed girl. They likely didn't even know what an Al Bhed was. Choosing to discontinue this depressing train of thought, she continued to study the others.  
  
She was happy to see that the water had fixed the girl, and wanted to doublecheck, but obviously she and Spiky, whose name she really did need to find out, lest she accidentally call him that, were having a little reunion. She didn't want to bother them... Glancing at Riku who was doing something with coconuts ooh and with that sword of his too. Rikku decided that she didn't really care whether she bothered him or not. He had said he would answer their questions anyway.  
  
As she approached, still hopping up and down a little, and feeling warmer for it, she noticed just exactly what he was doing with those coconuts.  
  
"Oooh, smart, those'll hold much more then this."  
  
Rikku held up the vial she had managed to fill before she got out of the oasis, then nimbly swiping one of the coconuts away, she pulled out her knife and cut out a chunk out of the skin that would work as a stopper, then smiling slightly she set it back in the pile. It's not like she could have reached the coconuts anyway, and she only took a little. Rikku sat there for another moment, pretending to look around again, but actually watching Riku with the keblade. Then as casually as possible she brought it up, pretending to admire his skills with the coconuts. Then of course after he offered up some explanation about the keyblade, she could come up with allll sorts of questions to ask. She loved banishing a mystery. This was the perfect time too because everyone was around, and they wanted to know just as badly as she did, so he'd be less likely to brush aside the questions unless he wanted trouble.  
  
"That cuts really well."  
  
_Smooth... _  
  
Rikku smiled, the same innocent smile that she had given Seifer before she shoved him into the oasis.

**Seifer**  
  
Seifer watched Rikku with an amused expression on his face. It was clear that she was going to try and steal the keyblade, but he didn't know if Riku would be too busy with the coconuts to notice this. Seifer sighed, shaking his head, and kept a mental note to add both Rikku and Riku to the list. Riku for possibly leading them into danger, and Rikku for being annoying. Seifer's gaze drifted towards the couples by the oasis. Rinoa looked intently at Squall, as if she would collapse if he wasn't around her.  
  
_Pathetic..._  
  
Seifer watched as Quistis was instantly healed up. He had a feeling Rinoa would drag Squall away the minute Quistis moved a muscle. She did, and Seifer saw Rinoa bouncing on her feet, excited to have Squall back into her arms at any minute. Seifer watched as Rinoa dragged Squall away from Quistis gently, and warpped her arms around his neck. He could tell that she was scared, and for once he was glad Squall was around to give her confidence.  
  
_What Am I thinking?_  
  
Seifer shook his head before sitting down on the ground and putting his head in his hands. He had a feeling it would be a long next couple of days. It also didn't help any that they had a guide who would one minute try to kill them, and the next try to save them. Or at least that's what he thought. He sighed, contently as his clothes started to dry up. He wanted to light a fire or something so the drying process would go quicker.  
  
_No...I have to follow the group's decision..._  
  
**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa made sure Quistis was okay, and made sure she was comfortable, before dragging Squall away and wrapping her arms around his neck. She kissed him softly on the lips, then the neck, and finally rested her chin on his shoulder. She yawned softly, before moving her lips to his ear, and reminding him of those words that would always keep him safe and loved.  
  
"I Love you.."  
  
Rinoa heard a loud noise and with her nerves on edge from the heartless, she turned around quickly, just to find that a few coconuts had fallen from a tree. Rinoa sighed deeply, taking a deep breath, and trying to calm herself. She was always afraid of what she might find in the path behind her, and in the path ahead of her. Rinoa turned back around towards Squall before laughing slightly.  
  
"I guess My nerves are a little on edge..."  
  
She smiled at him and took his hands in hers, before dragging him to the edge of the oasis. She pulled him down into a sitting position at the water's edge, and sat in front of him, dipping her feet into the water. She had to admit, that the oasis had a beautiful area around it. Rinoa smiled slightly as she twirrled her fingers in the water. She took Squall's hand, and dipped his fingers in the water with her own. It was very cool, and refreshing. Rinoa leaned her head back onto his chest and stared into the oasis, a dreamy look on her face.

**Cloud Strife**  
  
As the group continued to battle the heartless, Rinoa was distorted from his vision by one of the larger heartless. She managed to get away but she was injured. Meanwhile he continued to battle a couple of little ones that kept jumping on his back and face. Throwing them off he had seconds to slice them before they'd be back on him again. Looking to his other side he saw Rinoa spring forward knocking Squall out of the way. The following instruction was one he didn't need to hear twice. Running through the trees as fast as he could he didn't look back, even when the creature bellowed and smacked a tree. These things were powerful, nothing like the other heartless and their numbers were increasing. _Damn you Sephiroth_.  
  
Arriving back at the Oasis Cloud was struck by how it felt. It felt nothing like the darkness of the forest but light, safe. Maybe Riku was telling the truth after all, to an extent. Looking over to check on his new allies he saw that they were healing themselves. This was when he was thanked. "Hey, don't worry about it, Thank **you** for helping me save Tifa, **both of you**", he said with a meaningful look and a smile at the two. _Tifa!_.  
  
Looking around his eyes fell on the main pool of the Oasis where he saw Tifa submerged in the water, he froze. _No, not again, please._, he thought shaking his head. _Please don't let me lose her_. This was just like the death and burial of Aeiras. That had crushed him, but this – this would kill him. He saw that vincent was supporting her and he could see that she was still breathing. _Good, if this Oasis is what Riku says it is, she's going to be fine_. Calming down a bit, he stood there, blocking out everything else, waiting for a sign that she was ok. She was.  
  
Tifa eyes suddenly jumped open and with them, Cloud's heart jumped too. She headed straight for him and a smile spread across his face. He almost laughed when she wouldn't hug him because she was wet, that and he was so happy to see her. Drawing her into an embrace he kissed her, holding her tight. "Oh Tifa, I love you more than anything, I'm so glad you're ok". Holding her close to his body he cast a glance over to Vincent; "thank you". With that he looked over to Riku, he'd been telling the truth this time but there was still something about him. For now he'd let it lie but if he ever found out Riku had anything to do with it then he wouldn't even get a chance to be healed in the Oasis. For now though, he held Tifa close, feeling their hearts beating as one. He needed healing aswell but in that moment the world stood still for them, two lovers, two allies, two friends. Tifa was the person in his life that made him who he was, as she'd been healed, he'd also been saved. Now all he could think was _What the hell is coming next?_

**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall watched as Rikku pushed Seifer in, laughing softly before turning back to Rinoa, allowing her to pull him away slightly, glancing over his shoulder back at Quistis- he felt bad leaving her alone. They all needed to stay together, they were the only four from Balamb- and eventhough he had begun to trust a few members of the group...he had just met them, and he couldn't relate to them like he could with Quistis, Rinoa...and sadly, even Seifer. Sighing, he glanced down at their reflection in the Oasis, wrapping his arms around Rinoa's stomach as she leaned on him, his eyes wandering around the group as Cloud walked over to the girl- who he was obviously madly in love with. Laughing softly and shaking his head, Squall merely glanced back into their reflection, meeting Rinoa's eyes as the Oasis reflected the two, resting his chin on the top of her head as they sat together...peaceful, for now.  
  
"Its ok, my nerves are shot too- this ", he nodded his head all around them, signifying he was talking about their situation. He heard the feint 'chopping' noises as Riku and Rikku cut up odd hollow fruits, obviously using them as storage for the Oasis water. He supposed he should go and help, but right now Rinoa needed his attention...she had been so care free when he had met her- in a way, she had always been determined, even when she was with the Forest Owls, and that determination had increased since she had come to Balamb with them- smiling as he remembered when they first met. He slid his hand down towards her own, intertwining their fingers and holding onto her as if she would fly away if he let go.  
  
"I love you too", he responded towards her comment before, lowering his head to kiss her on the top of her raven hair, his eyes never leaving hers as he stared at their reflection. The soft Oasis water rippiling with the Healing energy held within its surface, he supposed he couldn't trust Riku fully, but he had led them to a safe place- and Squall knew he had some emotion, some longing...he could see it in his eyes. The longing for love and release...but sometimes, that longing could get out of hand, and from what he knew about Riku so far, that longing could be clouding his judgement, his soul- and that could be dangerous. **Very** dangerous.  
  
**Riku**  
  
Riku had been concentrated on cutting into the Hollow fruits when he felt Rikku's shadow fall on him. Stopping for a moment, he looked upwards as she sat down with him, obviously trying to learn more about the blade. He supposed he could tell her, somewhat about the Keyblade- not too much, but enough to keep her from asking over and over again. Running his finger along the blade, he took out his blindfold and ran it down the weapon, cleaning it somewhat before continuing to chop into the fruits, filling them up from time to time before speaking towards the young odd girl before him. Holding the blade horizontally with two hands, allowing the light from the Oasis to dance across its mettallic finish.  
  
"It was made to", he nodded as he spoke in response to her comment. Moving the blade between his fingers before speaking again, trying to see what he should tell her and what he shouldn't tell her. He could tell Rikku had a wandering eye, and hands in some cases...and he didn't want to perk her curiousity anymore to force her to do something rash- like attempt to steal it. Sighing loudly, he took a sharp breath inward and set a punctured fruit down at his side, looking at his reflection from the beautiful blades polished surface.  
  
"Its a KeyBlade, _the_ Keyblade, a powerful weapon, thats linked to myself. You see...the reason I know so much about this world, this **dimension**, is because of the blade.", he ignored Rikku's confusion at his vague answer before continuing with his words. Moving the blade further within his fingers to focus on the key like part of the weapon, looking up towards Rikku as he spoke once again.  
  
"You see...the blade itself, is a Key to the worlds of this dimension. This world is just one amongst many, and the Keyblade allows me, and anyone I choose to, travel the worlds. That is why the man...Sephiroth, saught my out. He thought he could use the Keyblade for his own purposes...but it serves only me. Now, are you happy?" he spoke with slight sarcasm in his last comment. Forcing a freindly smirk to etch into his lips as he picked up the fruits again, cutting them in small places like Rikku had, creating small stopper like holes instead of cutting them fully in half, he figured it would be better to go Rikku's way, and to make her think that she was _teaching_ him something. Hopefully stopping her constant questions about the blade, for now.

**Tifa **  
  
Tifa sighed an allowed Cloud to hold her close, she was so glad they were together and they were both ok.  
  
"I love you too Cloud, always have, and always will."  
  
Tifa closed her eyes and rested her head against Cloud's chest, just enjoying being with him, then after a moment she opened them again at looked at him. Now that they were both safe, she could figure out just what had happened.  
  
"So what did I miss?"  
  
**Rikku **  
  
Rikku smirked as Riku changed his method of making the coconuts capable of carrying the water. Her way _was_ more efficient, and if he thought of it himself, then why not start that way? Grabbing another, she continued to help make the water holders, trying to make sense of what he said. If it worked as some sort of key... then likely he could get them back to their own worlds. She also got that he was certainly the one that had led Sephiroth to Spira. So at least knowing that much, contented her at least. Still she was even more determined to get a closer look at it. She wasn't going to take it, that would just be stupid, after all where would she go? Besides, he seemed to care for the blade a great deal, something beyond it's function, and losing it would likely hurt him. She would never do anything to deliberately hurt someone, even when they seemed to be the amoral type of emotionally bankrupt person that Riku acted like he was. However, she did want to see if she was right and it was some cross between magic and machine, but she was sure that would take no more then two minutes anyway.  
  
Rikku smiled at his slightly sarcastic, slightly exasperated comment. She often got that reaction to her questions, and she was certainly used to it by now.  
  
_Not even close._  
  
She always found out in the end.  
  
"You _really_ don't like answering questions do you? Why is that I wonder?"

**Seifer**  
  
Seifer watched Rikku pester Riku and he sighed. He decided he might as well save Riku from the annoying, well, Rikku, even if he didn't like Riku much more than...er...Rikku. Seifer walked over to the two and stood in front of Rikku. He grinned down at her, evilly, and crossed his arms over his chest. Seifer then raised an eyebrow, at Riku, as he was staring at the keyblade like it was the only thing left in the world. He shrugged and looked back down at Rikku.  
  
"Questions Reveal Too much information, _you_ wouldn't like it if someone pestered you for answers to their questions constantly."  
  
He smirked again before grabbing a coconut and throwing it into the air. He took out his gunblade and sliced it through, perfectly. He was imagining it to be Riku or Rikku's head. He then turned towards Rikku and held the two pieces of sliced coconut in his hands. He raised the one in his right hand to meet her eye level and he smirked again.  
  
"Watch your back, or you'll end up with your head cut open. I would love to be the one to cut it in half, too."  
  
**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa over-heard Seifer, Rikku, and Riku talking. She raised and eyebrow before kissing Squall on the lips and standing up. She snuck up behind Seifer, and with one arch of an eyebrow, and one devious smirk at Rikku, Shoved him forward. Rinoa watched in amusement as Seifer fell on his knees, completely thrown off balance.  
  
She laughed out loud as one of the coconuts landed on his head. She fell onto her butt, unable to contain her laughter. She was sent into hysterics and her face was turning a bright red. Rinoa stood up, gasping for air, and took the coconut off of Seifer's head. She looked down to see an angry glare, and a fist clenched. Rinoa Muttered an "Ut oh," before starting to back up.  
  
**Seifer**  
  
Seifer stood up, flames of anger dancing in his eyes. "You better start running, Rinoa!" With that he sped forward towards her, and heard Rinoa shriek while running to get away from him. Seifer eventually caught up with Rinoa and grabbed her arm tightly. He spun her around and saw Rinoa wince slightly. He smirked at this sight.  
  
"The next time you shove me, it will result in your death."  
  
With that he threw Rinoa over his shoulder. She kept hitting him in the back, which only annoyed him further. With no hesitation what-so-ever, Seifer threw Rinoa into the oasis. He then wiped coconut juice out of his hair and went back to his corner. He watched as Rinoa's head poked through the surface of the water. She was giving him an angry glare, and attempting to shake her wet hair out of her eyes.  
  
**Rinoa**  
  
"Seifer Almasy! You're going to wish you had never done that!"  
  
Rinoa wiped wet hair out of her eyes and started to swim to the edge of the oasis. She climbed out and marched angrily up to Seifer before smacking him in the face. This resulted in a surprised, and angry look. Rinoa and Seifer both glared at each other. It was evident that a fight was about to break out. Seifer was clenching his fists, while Rinoa was gripping her pinwheel handle, tightly.

**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall watched as Riona got up and kissed him, before walking over towards Seifer, who was being his obnoxious arrogant self. Watching in slight amusement as the two pestered each other, he hastily shot up into a standing position, his fist clenched as both of them stared each other in the eye. His long strides taking him over towards the two instantly, grabbing hold of Rinoa's hand and lowering her pinwheel, this was no time for fighting- _especially _not from two of his Group members. Gazing angrily towards Seifer, he shot a warning glance towards them both as he spoke, this was no time for fighting- and it seemed all eyes were on them at the moment.   
  
"Both of you, enough! This is not the time, nor the place". His words came out in a rather authoritive tone, he was still their Group Leader, and even if he did love Rinoa, he was not going to put up with the two of them fighting. Glancing towards Quistis as if for support, he backed away from the group and glared towards Seifer, guiding Rinoa back towards the edge of the Oasis and standing rather close to her, looking into her eyes as he spoke, trying to calm her down before he went off on Seifer.  
  
"Rinoa, you know this isn't the time...ignore him, he'll feed off your anger, just try and stay calm", he smiled sadly once more and brushed a strand of her raven colored hair out of her eyes. Tucking it behind her ear before glancing over his shoulder at Seifer, about to say something when Riku stood up, his emotionlessly eyes staring straight into the sky...obviously fed up with all of their personal fighting as well.   
  
**Riku**  
  
Riku had had it with the infighting amongst the group, and as another blonde man dressed in a white trench coat got into an argument with Rinoa, he instantly stood up. His emotionless eyes not set on the two...but the sky, the sun was dropping and lowering in the sky, which meant night was on its way, and they had yet to get supplies. Sighing, he cut in as Squall was about to speak to Seifer, speaking up and pulling out his Keyblade, making his way towards the edge of the clearing, and rather close to the trees, they had to get supplies, perhaps there were more fruits or food in the jungle like setting, or they could cut down trees and use them as firewood, or to build a adequate shelter for the night. Sighing, he walked towards the trees and turned around, his pale skin half illuminated by the glittering lights of the Oasis.  
  
"Night is coming, we need supplies. Half of the group comes, half stays, any volunteers?" it was clear Riku was going as his spoke- he was their guide. Although he wanted someone authoritive to stay as well, or at least someone that could keep the other half of the group in tact, and under control. Taking his Keyblade, he swiped towards the nearest branch in his way, cutting the other beginning of another path before turning to survey the group once more, he wanted strong and able warriors to come with him...people who could carry enough supplies, and move quick and hasty back to the Oasis. However, he didn't want to stray to far away from the clearing, he had heard the crash of the tree when Squall and the others got back, and he knew that the larger Heartless were angry...and were probably stalking the shadows of the Oasis, just waiting to attack.  
  
"We must be quick, the Oasis is the only safe spot close enough when the moons rise, and it will keep us safe during the night. But we need supplies, firewood, and any food we can find. Now, who's coming? We don't have that much time", he surveyed the group once more. His emotionless eyes dancing across one Warriors face to the next, impatiently waiting for volunteers, if they took too long to decide, he would decide for them. He didn't want to be in the shadows when the Moons rose, the Oasis was the only safe place for them...and Riku didn't want to be away from it long.

**Vincent**  
  
Vincent nodded as Tifa nodded her thanks to him, after he let her go. He stood there near the Oasis, letting out a sigh hearing the fighting amongst the group. His thoughts wandered to Lucrecia and clenched his left hand into a tight fist and became more determined to stop Sepihroth. He let out a soft sigh, which was barely audible, as he became tired of this place which felt like a prison to him. All he wanted to do was to get out of here and for the fighting amongst the group to stop otherwise that would tear this group apart and the heartless would pick them off one by one if they separated as a result. He snapped out of his thoughts and glanced upwards at the sky, noticing that the sun was setting and the bright golden lights were beginning to fade, becoming more duller and darker which meant that night was fast approaching. He glanced towards Yuffie from the corner of his piercing eyes and felt pleased deep down that she had done what he told her.  
  
He turned around, hearing Riku stating that they needed supplies and watched as he swiped the nearest branch with his weapon, and Vincent stepped forward. He reached into his black robe and got out one of his guns which was a Quicksilver. He had another gun in his robe and his emotionless face stared upon Riku's almost daring him to say anything as his cold, emotionless voice rang out as he told him that he was coming. Whether he liked it or not. The young man (or old) c0cked his gun, which made a noise as it was ready to be used or shot in case the occasion demanded it. Thing about Vincent, he was very quick and certainly had a deadly aim, for guns were his best weaponry use.  
  
"I'm coming with you."

**Yuffie**  
  
Yuffie was carefully considering how she would get up without actually moving, when Vincent swooped down and helped her up. With a slight "oof", Yuffie was soon leaning on Vincent for most of her ability to walk. The further the group went, the more Yuffie could put weight on her ankle, until she was walking almost normally, if not for the occasionally trip or curse as she stumbled. She had been concentrating on her steps when she heard Rinoa's voice shouting at them to go. She turned to see Cloud rush up to Vincent, who was still holding onto her elbow, keeping her steady on the uneven terrain. Without much ceremony, except for a swift kiss to Tifa's forehead, Cloud had instructed Vincent to take her and go.  
  
Yuffie was unsteady for several moments as Vincent let go of her arm, and she couldn't help but glare slightly at Cloud's retreating back, but all anger was forgotten when she saw Tifa. She couldn't stay mad at Cloud for forgetting about her when Tifa was hurt. She followed the moving group as fast as she could, but invariably was left behind, but not by much. She watched as Vincent attended to Tifa immediately, and with a sigh of relief, Yuffie sat down on the ground, inching herself towards the oasis. There was a sudden splash to her right, and Yuffie started to laugh as she realized Rikku had pushed Paranoid-Guy into the water. _I should probably learn his name,_ mused Yuffie. _Before I actually start calling him Paranoid-Guy aloud._ Her thoughts were interrupted as Rikku herself fell into the water. She surfaced, irritated, but realizing her ankle was actually healed.  
  
Yuffie hesitated before slipping herself in, and of course Vincent noticed. He prodded her to do it, and she shrugged, rolling her eyes simultaneously. With a swift push off the bank, she was submerged up to her waist, which was where all her bruises seemed to be. She leant there, hoping the oasis had worked. She had seen it work already, but she couldn't help but doubt. It was human nature. The water certainly was cold though, so she pushed herself back onto the bank, shivering slightly before attempting to stand up again. She almost laughed as she felt her legs hold her weight again.  
  
She grinned when she saw Tifa awaken, and most of the party arrive back and use the healing properties of the water. Flopping back on the ground, she watched upside down as Riku and Rikku cracked coconuts, assumedly to place water in them. Though she wouldn't tell Riku, Rikku's method seemed more efficient, but she remained quiet. It seemed as though the trip with all the others had dimmed down her usually big mouth, and Yuffie opened her mouth to say something classically-Yuffie, but closed it. Too much seemed to be going on, and the only who might've noticed if she had said something, would've been Vincent. And he never cared for her jokes anyway.  
  
Sitting back up, she watched as Riku speak about supplies and needing half of the group to stay, and the other half to go. She saw as Vincent volunteered...actually, not even volunteered, he was going, no matter what. Well...that was Vincent. Yuffie shrugged mentally and hopped up, smiling to herself as her healed wounds stayed healed.  
  
"Well, I suppose I'll go." she said as she strode forward, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "And you'll all need someone to keep you from getting into trouble." she said with a smirk as she felt her knife and boomerang's comforting weight beside her. _Eh, something to keep me from getting bored. Doubt I could've even taken a money pouch with this crowd. Too on edge._ With a careless shrug, she stretched, getting her limbs ready for more walking.

**Cloud Strife**  
  
Cloud smiled as Tifa opened her eyes and asked to be caught up. "A lot", he said. "You were out for a long time", he said with a sad look before replacing it with a smile. She was fine now. "Where shall I start?" he said, taking her hand into his as they begun to walk around the Oasis. "After you collapsed, I kinda picked a fight with Riku who's that guy over there", he said pointing over to Riku. "I thought he had something to do with our being here and your being injured, I thought he was linked with Sephiroth, and what can I say... I ended up attacking him. Nothing came of it, getting you here was more important", he said, slowing down to let Tifa take it in. "Then, I went off with those two..". He pointed at Squall and Rinoa. "We held back the heartless, a bunch of evil creatures that you really don't want to meet so that you could all get here safely. Infact we just about made it out.", he said with a smile as to dismiss any worry that Tifa may have felt. They were both fine now, and together – that's all that mattered. "Rikku", he said, pointing to the young al-bhed, "helped you, as did Vincent.. everyone really pulled together and I'm pretty sure we can trust everyone.. except maybe Riku. I'm not sure about him yet."  
  
That was when Riku told the group to split in two, asking for volunteers to get some supplies. "Screw that", he said thinking aloud. Turning to Tifa he led her over to the Oasis, remembering that he needed healing. "Sorry, that came out a bit wrong, but I nearly lost you and I want to spend some time with you, I'm sure everyone will understand and it's not like they're not capable. From what I've seen their as skilled as we are with their weapons". He then slid his jacket off followed by his shirt, laying his sword down at his feet. What he found was more than he'd expected. A deep slash lay in his chest, probably left by the heartless. _Mustn't have noticed it with all the adrenaline _, he thought as he reached down and touched it. Wincing he pulled his hand away, cupping it with the other to take some water from the Oasis. He splashed it onto his cut and was amazed as it slowly healed before his eyes. Soon enough it was gone. Smiling at Tifa he put his shirt and jacket back on before picking up his sword and placing it back over his shoulder and back.  
  
"Besides", he said, continuing the conversation. "Vincent's going". Casting Vincent a glance and a smile he told him; "Take care of yourself, it's rough out there. I'm staying here with Tifa". He hoped he'd understand, that they all would. He just wanted to spend some time in her company. Besides, he'd already been out there fighting the heartless, he deserved some time with his love. "Yuffie's going aswell, they'll make sure they both get back fine, meanwhile, did you dream of anything?"

**Quistis Trepe**  
  
Quistis let Squall help her to the Oasis. She could see he was torn between everyone. He didn't know who he was meant to help first. Usually Quistis would be by his side, helping him in any way that she could. She felt helpless, these injuries seemed to be stopping her from doing anything useful. He suddenly sped up without warning, Quistis stopped herself from crying out in pain. Her feet were dragging along the overgrown forest. She looked up to see what he was running after - Rinoa was in danger, it was a Heartless. She understood his speed. Before she had a chance to ask him to leave her here he stopped. Quistis could see a hint of hesitation in his eyes when he said he had to go.  
  
_'I'll be fine, you just go.'_   
  
Seifer and the others were with her. Even with the injuries Quistis knew she could take care of herself if such a situation presented itself. The pain made it feel like Squall had been gone for ages. He came back and helped her towards the Oasis. She gladly let him help her. There was no way she would have been able to their herself and asking Seifer to help her was an option but not one she felt like taking at the moment.  
  
As soon as she got into the Oasis, Quistis could feel herself healing. There was a tingling sensation all over her body, her arm began to feel normal again. She closed her eyes and slowly began moving her right arm again. Her eyes opened again and Quistis looked down to see that the bruising was gone, almost like it had never happened. She got to her feet and walked out of the pool of water towards where Squall and Rinoa stood.   
  
_'Thank you for the help Squall.' _  
  
She would have done the same for him but she felt it was important to let him know that she really appreciated his help. Quistis still wasn't 100 sure about this Riku guy, only time would tell what his true intentions were. He seemed to be taking charge, talking about getting supplies. She would be up for that if she got the chance, it would have to depend on how many people were going. If everyone decided they wanted to go then camp would be abandoned, not a good idea.

**Tifa **  
  
Tifa listened with a worried expression on her face. She didn't want any unnecessary fighting. Especially with the cold looking man, who they knew nothing about. She'd have to thank the little blonde girl later, but for now she was happy to sit with cloud. She smirked faintly at Cloud's "screw it," it was very like him, but then her smile faded when she saw the slash across his chest. She lay her hand on Cloud's arm and looked up at him, ignoring his question.  
  
"Cloud you have to be more careful, I love that you want to protect me, but you have to look after yourself... I couldn't bear to lose you."  
  
Turning away she looked around to see that Vincent and Yuffie were ok also. She trusted Cloud would tell her, but she wanted to make sure. She was glad Vincent had volunteered to go look for supplies, he never failed in anything, and she wouldn't worry about him. Now Yuffie on the other hand... as much as Tifa adored her, she was a troublemaker. Still, as long as Vincent was there, she couldn't get into too much trouble. He missed nothing, that one.  
  
**Rikku **  
  
Rikku scowled at Seifer who had interrupted her questioning. Which he shouldn't, she was finding this stuff out for the benefit of everyone. She rolled his eyes at his threat, though she could totally see him picturing her head when he sliced the coconut... but really the dunking cured him of any wounds, you'd think he'd get over it by now... Rikku watched as he and Rinoa began to fight. She supposed he just wanted to fight in general, maybe it was how he coped with the situation... though tensions were running very high... Oddly enough though, it seemed mostly in group fighting as opposed to between the people from other worlds, Seifer's threat aside.  
  
She turned back to Riku and realizing that this could be a chance for her to resupply so she'd have something better to use then a knife if those heartless attacked again. Besides, she was still cold, moving around would help, and she might be short, but she was fast, she could get back to the oasis in time. Furthermore, she was bored and when she was bored she thought about things like Gippal, and she was trying to stay positive. So almost immediately Rikku's hand shot up and still hopping from the cold, she waved her hand a bit in the air.  
  
"Ooh, I'll go!"  
  
It was perfect really, cure boredom, and continue the questioning as they got the supplies they needed as a group, and that she needed to mix up a few things of her own.

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa took a few deep breaths before calming herself completely. She frowned apologetically at Squall before turning to hear Riku speak. Rinoa knew she wanted to help, and probably should. That's when she heard Rikku say that she wanted to go. Rinoa cringed slightly at the thought. Rikku did tend to ask a lot of questions, what if she wanted a background check on each person? Rinoa sighed before slowly walking over to Rikku. Rinoa studied the other woman's face for a second before opening her mouth to speak.  
  
"Rikku, I don't think that's a very good idea. Your very capable of going on a mission like this, but we're going to need someone with keen senses and an outgoing personality to keep everyone's spirits up. Personally, I think you're perfect for the job. Besides, if Sephiroth comes, don't you want to get your revenge? And, If you get hurt, I wouldn't be able to forgive myself."  
  
Rinoa gave her a weak smile before turning to Riku. "If you want to get anywhere with this crowd, myself included, you better start giving us a reason to trust you. Try talking a little more, and being a little more friendly. And, you know, It wouldn't hurt to answer Rikku's questions every once and a while." Rinoa sighed, shaking her head before turning to Squall. "I'm going with them." She then turned her head back to Riku to repeat this, "I'm going with you, but that doesn't mean I trust you. I swear if you pull _anything_ I'll have your head shot off within seconds."  
  
Rinoa didn't think she was capable of being bitter, but she had pulled it off. So far, of the people going, she didn't _really know_ anyone. She sighed before placing her hands on her hips. "I suggest, everyone else fills up more coconuts just in case. Not only that, but you might want to start up a fire, it could get colder as the night goes on." Rinoa spun on her heels to face Riku again. "Now, we have Four People, we just need one more." She secretly hoped it wasn't Seifer, as he would be a pain in the butt.

**Seifer**  
  
As stubborn as Rinoa could be when she slapped him he was surprised and even further angered. He spotted her hand ready on her pinwheel and gave a knowing smirk, a hand lowered to his Gunblades handle, gripping it tightly, daring her to use her Pinwheel on him. If it hadn't been for her beau jumping to the rescue he would have attacked her in that second, while they were staring each other down. But, no, Squall just had to ruin his playtime. Green eyes darted towards Squall. "Keep your girlfriend under control or I will hurt her next time!" He warned, tracing Squall's scar with his eyes, a small smile passed over him, he had given Squall that scar in 'training'... later Quistis had told him off for that which infuriated him, but it didn't remove either of Squall's or his identical one.  
  
Walking off away from the couple he glanced over towards Quistis as Riku spoke, asking for volunteers. Staying here was getting rather boring and maybe a little _action_ would be a welcome change. Instead of small arguements. So, now it was up to one from the Garden's small "group" to go, and he was betting that left either him or her. If she went and they got attacked, he could bet on her getting hurt again. Sure, Quistis was stronger then he openly gave her credit for, but that didn't mean she was a better fighter then him. He welcomed chaos and destruction... it was all part of life anyways, so why shy away from it.  
  
Still, it had been his need for chaos and destruction which landed him kicked out of Balamb Garden, at the time, it had been the only thing he knew as a home. His time away was more then welcomed, but when he was told he couldn't return a small part of him was hurt. For a while he had longed for the familiar walls of _home_. Then, he was welcomed back - though not without having to pay some sort of punishment and it seemed this was it. Check on Edea, she just happened to go missing from her cage and now... here they all were in a strange world.  
  
To stay and continue being bored or go and leave things for Quistis to handle... that was the question, and seeing as he never was one to handle being bored fairly well, he'd go. That, and part of him wanted to keep her in the safety of the Oasis. Sometimes it felt like she was maybe the only one that truely understood him. And that's why he hated her.  
  
But as Rinoa went up and took the hyper-blonde girls spot, Rikku's, he rolled his eyes at her threat towards Riku. Was she trying to mimic him? Either way, things here were boring. "Hmph. If you all think I'm staying here you've got another thing coming." He said moving over to the group of people whom had volunteered to go. "I'm going."

**Edea**  
  
Golden eyes glinting ominously, an irritated frown faintly creased the intimidating yet elegant face of the Sorceress Edea as she turned her head away from the keyhole; casting her gaze onto Sephiroth, with whom circumstance left her little choice other than to collaborate with. Mostly, she preferred to work alone, or to be the one commanding the situation; it did not sit well with her that she stood alongside somebody who thought himself her equal. However, he had proven his use (it had been he who freed her from the cage she had been imprisoned in, much as she would like to forget), and if she was going to team up with anyone, it might as well be somebody like Sephiroth – seemingly powerful enough and with enough arrogance and assurance to execute a plan.  
  
She stood still for a moment, recalling how Riku had escaped them, despite Edea's efforts to the contrary. An icicle that she had summoned had come close – incredibly close – to hitting the intended target, but Riku had been deft in his closing of the hole, his simple plan succeeding after managing to distract the Sorceress and her companion. It bothered her to realise it, but Riku had beaten them – for now – and could use his weapon with apparent ease, handling its power without difficulty.  
  
_And I can feel it,_ the Sorceress thought to herself, her frown growing so it contorted every facial feature, the expression on her face becoming evermore sinister as her eyes momentarily wandered back towards the keyhole the pair were trying to reopen in order to pursue Riku. _I can feel the power from the other side. _  
  
The fact that Riku – wielder of the Keyblade – had escaped them had infuriated Edea; that he had then been so bold as to forcefully close the keyhole upon Sephiroth and herself incensed her, and inside a quiet yet forceful rage was bubbling, threatening to spill over at any moment. Her eyes sparking with unspoken but quite obvious wrath, mouth pursed ready to speak, she shifted her weight onto her other foot as she took a step forwards, one hand on her hip as she did so.  
  
Yet Sephiroth beat her to it, interrupting as she opened her mouth preparing to talk. Raising an eyebrow in an incredulous arch, her eyes flashed with anger as she listened to his words. Eyes narrowing, she took a silent but deep breath – it simply would not do to unleash her full rage upon the man with her; it would reduce her advantage – she had the element of mystery in her favour, not to mention that she had a broader range of power. _Not that he needs to find that out yet, she decided, I am not the more intelligent one of this pairing for nothing._ She would let him stand there basking in his arrogance for the moment – sooner or later (though it would most likely be the former if Edea had her way and Sephiroth had any sense), he would realise her natural superiority.  
  
Returning his frosty glare with ample measure, she let her lip curl into a cold, somewhat sadistic smile.  
  
"Many more useful things than you, it is apparent." she replied coolly, watching the man begin to pace up and down. Though she wanted to find Riku as soon as possible, she would wait and see if Sephiroth would offer any move.

**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall merely watched silently as members of the group volunteered around him, his eyes widening slightly as Rinoa asked to go, or rather _said_ she was going to go. Personally, Squall hadn't been thinking of going to get supplies with the rest, but if Rinoa was going...he wanted to. Releasing a sigh of annoyance as Seifer spoke, his annoyed glare danced over towards Seifers eyes, his eyes tracing the scar straight between his eyes- one identicle to his own. The mere thought of how he had gotten the scar bringing a wave of anger through him- which quickly diminished as he calmed himself down, resting a hand on the hilt of his Gunblade as he spoke towards Seifer, obviously angered.  
  
"Seifer, keep your threats to yourself. You touch her, you'll have to go through me first, and we both know that won't go well. For you at least", Squall spat back out as a response to Seifers coment. In more ways then one the two were very similar...much to Squall's dislike, but Squall could throw back quick comebacks just as quick as Seifer, and he believed he was a better fighter then him as well...as well as a better leader. Seifer was arrogant and destructive, where eventhough Squall held the potential to cause destruction deep down inside...he was the more level headed of the two, and obviously, much more charming. Running a soft hand through his brown hair, the group leader merely rolled his eyes as he walked over towards Rinoa, catching Seifers gaze once more as he strode over towards her.  
  
"And you wonder why Garden threw you out", rolling his eyes once more as he spoke. Squall neared Rinoa and glanced into her eyes, holding her hands in his as he spoke. He knew that he couldn't go- it wouldn't make much sense for the strongest Warriors to leave camp, even if it was protected by the Oasis's Magick...who knew what the darkness could do, it was obvious the worlds in this dimension were much more differrent then Squall's own...and he would have to get used to it, quickly, if he was going to have a chance to survive.   
  
"You know I don't want you to go, but stay close to the group this time. I'll stay here to keep the others safe, but **promise** me you'll follow the rests lead, don't go off on your own...I won't be there", he kissed Rinoa on her lips breifly. Before pulling back and turning to Riku, giving him a warning glance as if anything that happened to Rinoa- would be on his hands.  
  
**Riku**  
  
Riku was mildly impressed at how many jumped up to join him, **mildly** at least. Brushinghis soft hair out of his face once more, he allowed his emotionless eyes to wander across the volunteers. Stopping on the blonde man with the large white trench coat, Riku could sense, _feel_ the arrogance and destructive forces the young man harbored, and he didn't want to deal with him at the current time. And at the rapid pace the sun was setting- they didn't have time to waste. So Riku merely shook his head and motioned for the volunteers to follow him, holding up another hand to stop Seifer as he came by.  
  
"You, stay. I don't have time to waste, and we have plenty members of the Party as it is. Stay here at the Oasis", Riku tried to be more discreet, as he heard Rinoa's own suggestive words. He merely rolled his eyes inwardly, supposing that he could play along with her for the time being, his eyes catching Squall's as he turned around, and instantly recongnizing the glance he had gotten. Riku had given that own faciel expression...to Sora, when he went off with Kairi, even thinking of the lost love of his life shot pain through his tainted heart, and he quickly forced her image back into the darker depths of his mind. Turning on his heel and hacking away at the forest, making a larger path for the rest to follow.  
  
"Everyone, stay close this time. Be on your guard, and stay as close to the Oasis's perimeter as you can. We will not go far, we just need to get essentials. Firewood, anything else you see as well, run it over with me before you go after it". He nodded as he spoke, grabbing the fruits that he had hung around his waist, all full of Oasis water, and tossing several to each member of the group. Craning his neck to see over his shoulder as he spoke.  
  
"Those are incase of Emergency, if you are attacked and need healing, drink- or splash that on your wound. If a Heartless comes by that we can't handle, splash it on them- the Heartless stay away from the Oasis for a reason...it hurts them, and does the opposite it does for us. Instead of healing them", he cut himself off as he spoke. Turning his back infront of him as he swung once more, chopping into more shurbery as he finished off his comment. "It kills them".   
  
Riku made sure to stay back with the group, motioning over towards a fallen tree, they could take wood and branches from that to use fire wood, and luckiy- a portion of the Oasis light splashed half of the tree, which secured that it was not inhabited by heartless. After slashing a larger path towards it, he merely waited for the rest of the group, his emotionless eyes taking a head count, and making sure everyone was close together, he didn't want anyone wondering off again. At all.

**Rikku **  
  
Rikku sighed as Rinoa spoke, someone dejected, but she wasn't going to contradict the only person who had made an effort to be nice to her when she had been so upset about Gippal, who had even noticed at all.  
  
"Ohhh... okay."  
  
She realized why the other girl was saying it, but those creatures attacking was hardly her fault, and the other girl was attacked as well. Rinoa spoke as if she were trying to appease a child, which was more then a little annoying to say the least, but her words were heartfelt at least... and besides, instead of searching for the supplies, she could search for what she needed. She figured she'd be safe enough if she didn't wander too far, which actually made her more then just a little determined to get her things in order. Rolling her eyes when Seifer volunteered, and then smiling faintly when he wasn't allowed either, she ignored the group and walking to a rocky bit of soil she pulled off her pack and set it down. Shaking out the glass carefully into a pile away from the area, but still visible so people could avoid it, she proceeded to form a circle of rocks. Then grabbing the driest grass she could find, followed by some little kindling that was lying around, and placed it within the circle. Finally she took out her knife and cut a small strip from her pack. _Very small_... She knew the chemicals that had spilled in it would be potent. Then getting to her feet, she picked up to rocks, and preparing to jump back she hit two rocks together in order to generate a spark above the pile she had built. It took two tries, but then her efforts paid off and spark hit the pack material and exploded into flames, Rikku jumped back, falling to the ground, as the fire flamed high into the air before settling down. A smile on appeared on her face... true the fire was an odd purpley blue color, but it still produced light and heat. It would do.  
  
Sitting down again, she wrapped her arms around her knees, staring into the fire and watching as the flames danced back and forth, first purple then blue. Once again she ran over the events of the day in her head, trying to absorb any detail that she might have missed... had it really been only a day? When she thought she saw Gippal's face looking back at her from the flames, Rikku looked away startled. Then remembering that she had been carrying pyrefly essence in her bag, she made sure not to look back again. She didn't have any desire to see more faces of dead people. She wondered if the others saw anything, or whether it was just some link to Spira. Another difference between these people and herself. Glancing around, she decided that enough time had passed. She'd start to scavenge for what she needed herself.

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa turned on her heels to look back at Squall once more. She bit her lip before dashing over to him and giving him a quick kiss on the lips. She hugged him tightly, and then ran back to the group, making sure to stay with them. At the same time her fingers wrapped around her pinwheel and she knew she was ready to take on whatever came her way. Rinoa knew that with her training from Squall in Balamb Garden, she could do almost anything. Somehow she was still nervous. However, she put on an act of bravery as best as she could. Showing her weak side would only get her into danger. Rinoa turned back in time to see Rikku making a fire, she smiled at the other girl. Rinoa was sure that Rikku was smarter than anyone here. She smiled before turning back around and following Riku into the path.  
  
Rinoa was hesitant to back into the darkness of the woods, but she realized she had no other choice. Forward was the only route that would keep them all safe, and that's what she wanted to do – was to keep everyone safe. Rinoa raised her pinwheel, just in case they were faced with any sudden attacks from the heartless. Rinoa was positive that they would be attacked by heartless, but she at least had one hope that none of the larger heartless would come their way. She had a feeling deep within that they would come, and they would be faced with severe danger, but she also had a feeling that if they stuck together, they might just have a chance. Rinoa looked down at the healing water of the oasis and had a slight idea. She sprinkled some of the water over her weapon, hoping to strength it with the water, and give herself a better chance of attacking.  
  
Rinoa looked ahead into the looming darkness and was filled with a strong sense of dread. Why had she decided to come along anyway? It sounded like a good idea at the time, but with so many creatures around, she didn't know if she could do it. Her eyes darted around in the darkness, warily, and she looked for any signs of danger. So far so good, of course...That didn't mean the safety would last. Most good things didn't last long, or at least...That's what she was starting to believe, ever since they ended up here. Of course, the only good thing that _had_ happened was the fact that she was still with Squall. For that she was both grateful, and lucky. Rinoa turned around to take one last look at her love before watching his face disappear behind her. She sighed and turned around with only one though in her mind.  
  
_I hope I see you again...._  
  
She instantly missed the feeling of warmth, safety, and happiness that came with the gift of light. She also missed the sense of deep security in Squall's arms. It seemed that whenever they were separated for more than two minutes, they needed each other like a bird in the desert needs water. Rinoa remembered falling for Squall for the first time. It seemed like only yesterday they had gone on that journey. If that journey had never happened, they would have never fallen in love. This made Rinoa smile, she was glad she asked Cid for help from the SeeDs. After that journey, they hadn't been separated since. Their love also grew stronger, and Rinoa knew that she wanted to be with him forever. She secretly hoped he wanted to be with her forever as well.  
  
_Because I Love you more than life itself..._

**Sephiroth**  
  
He had the beginnings of a plan, which was more then he could say for Edea. Whom despite his obvious superiority continued to think _she_ was better then him. The son of Jenova, and ancient. He held magics at his disposal as well and was not threatened by a mere Sorceress whom could toss ice around. He smirked slightly as he continued to pace, his silver hair swaying with his movements. Well, whatever the two were going to do staying here wasn't much of an option and he needed more power to break through after Sora.  
  
_Power..._ the thought struck a plan and he just pushed aside Edea's meager comment as if it was nothing, cause in truth, it was just that to him at least. He was not threatened by her, nor intimidated. He could back up his words and prove himself, the only question was, could she? A smirk crossed his face as he withdrew his sword, the Masmurane from it's sheath, green eyes glanced towards Edea as if threatening to use it upon her. But, no, she could still prove usefull to him. And therefore, he would spare her life for now.  
  
Turning towards the door the two had orginally come from after killing Gippal, he slashed his sword open, providing a doorway to the previous world. "I suggest you stick close if you expect to prove that comment true." he said in his cold, emotionless voice, before stepping through the portal he had created.  
  
No sooner had he arrived in the desert cave had he repeated the previous action, not even waiting up to see if Edea followed him or not, to where this portal led he couldn't exactly say, but anywhere was better then here. And hopefully the world beyond would have enough power to allow him to break through the worlds to get to the stubborn boy. He _would_ be the one in the end to kill Riku for his betrayal. Riku would pay, and he would pay dearly. Not just by death, but Sephiroth could do more then anything Riku would be able to imagine.  
  
Stepping through this portal he came out upon a beach, a couple was nearby, no where near as shocked as they should by of the appearance of a man on the beach through a portal. The couple seemed to have been more used to the idea of people just popping out from different worlds then the blonde girl and her dead boyfriend were.  
  
The male arched an eyebrow quizzically at him, seeming to try and place Sephiroth in his head. However, he had no such luck and instead walked over, holding out his hand in order to shake it and greet him. _"Hi. I'm Sora."_ The brunette said with a friendly smile, Sephiroth just looked down at the hand, it meant nothing to him whom this boy was, however, the fact that he carried a Keyblade at his side _was_ intrigueing. _"Are you a friend of Riku's?"_  
  
And yet, this boy was even of further use to him. He seemed to know the very one that Sephiroth wanted to torture. He didn't take the offered hand and instead with his free hand (as he still had his sword drawn) he grabbed at the girl, holding the blade of his sword to her throat, this act startled Sora and Sora went to draw the keyblade immediately. _"Kairi!"_  
  
"Not so fast. If you want to live, and her to live... you'll open a keyhole for me." Sephiroth commanded. Sora glared at him, as if that would convince Sephiroth to let go of her. But it had little to no effect on him. And Sora knew that he would have to go along with this man until he could break Kairi free of his grasps. So he reluctantly lowered his keyblade, awaiting instructions which came not a second afterwards. "Through the portal... you'll come to a desert cave with another like it, go in. And then you'll reach the keyhole I need opened!" Sephiroth commanded. The holes he had created would last long enough for Sora to do get back to where Edea was, and further, Sora without a further word went through the portal, followed by Kairi and Sephiroth.  
  
Upon returning to the room, he caught Sora simply ignoring Edea and already jumping to activate the keyhole, a smirk crossed over his face, he'd get his revenge upon Riku sooner then he had intended. Shooting a look towards Edea, one full of mock for while she stood here being useless to him, he had managed to find yet another keyblade holder and two friends of Riku's. The part he wasn't telling Sora though was that he had no intentions of keeping him nor his girlfriend alive after the keyhole was opened. Sora turned towards Sephiroth, anger burned behind his eyes. _"I've done as you've asked, now let Kairi go!"_  
  
Sephiroth nodded toward the opened door, instructing Sora to go through, which he did with some hesitation. Yet, again followed by Sephiroth, though the moment Sephiroth arrived in the forest he waisted no time in sliding the Masmurane blade through Kairi, literally decapitating her. Sora cried out angered, his voice travelling over the shadows as tears sprung to his eyes. _"KAIRI!!!!"_ with his keyblade he went to attack Sephiroth, only to end up being impaled with the Masmurane through his heart. His limp body fell to the forest floor as soon as Sephiroth removed the sword and smirked. Of course, he was going to do more then let their bodies rot in this forest, for they were only a small part in his revenge upon Riku for the betrayal.  
  
Putting away his sword he still held Kairi's head, which dangled as he held her by her hair, he found a small bag on Sora which held food and such inside and emptied the contents upon the floor of the forest. Before placing Kairi's head in the bag and latching it to his side. His _gift_ to Riku when he found the pesky boy. After he picked up Sora's keyblade and smirked to himself. If he could get this to work for him since it's master was in fact dead, then he'd have no need for Riku.  
  
Now all he had to do was wait for Edea to arrive.  
  
**Seifer**  
  
"Hmph." He took no threat to Squall's words, actually, a re-match between himself and Squall would be more then welcomed, since before and even during his return to Garden he'd been training. Honing his skills and improving them, he did not take defeat well and having been defeated by Squall once - he was going to make sure it didn't happen again. Ever. "I could get to her and defeat you in my sleep." Seifer huffed, smirking, green eyes daring Squall to have a reaction to his words. Of course, it would take more then just a few fancy moves in his sleep to defeat Squall. He wasn't stupid, he knew that Squall was infact a talented fighter, but he wasn't going to admitt _that_ either.  
  
Being told to stay by Riku only added more fuel to his temper. "You've _got_ to be kidding me!" He protested, voice more than a little raised to this comment. Riku had to be younger then him and did he really think he could boss Seifer around like he was a petulant child? He scoffed and turned his back on the group heading out, he had a chance to be of some use to the group and next was told he couldn't go?  
  
He didn't wonder why Garden had threw him out, he knew the reasons deep down inside. But... still... he wanted to be of some use in this strange world, it annoyed him that he wasn't allowed the chance to prove his worth. Crossing his arms stubbornly across his chest he leaned against a nearby tree, looking into the flames of the fire Rikku had started.   
  
Thoughts of Fujin and Rajin raced through his mind and a sadness filled his eyes, he wished they were here with him now. They were the only friends he had ever truly had, willing to follow him to any lengths, even though they had known he was making a mistake in becoming Edea's "knight" they followed willingly. Back then he didn't realize just how much the two meant to him - but now, in a strange world surrounded by people who didn't trust him - not that there was reason to trust him - and not knowing when or if he'd ever get back he longed for their compainionship. It seemed that everyone else were making friends easily enough, but even the people he knew wouldn't trust him as far as they could throw him.  
  
He shook his head and glanced towards Quistis briefly before looking away, scanning over those whom stayed behind, as he didn't watch Squall for long but the mere sight of him brought up further hidden emotions and thoughts. Things he didn't show outwardly, but they were still there.   
  
He envied Squall. Born leader, everyone seemed to like and trust Squall even if Squall was an emotionless a$$hole, yet Seifer, every move he made just seemed to end up being wrong and losing the trust of others. Not only was Squall talented with a Gunblade, a leader whom everyone liked, he also got the girl of his dreams. Rinoa. Seifer wouldn't admitt it but a small part of him wished he could have someone like Rinoa - not Rinoa of course, nor anyone with her qualities, but someone whom would love him. As for Seifer, he was utterly alone in this world. He didn't have Fujin nor Rajin to back him up and everyone openly hated him.  
  
_Ugh. I'm getting soft!_ He thought with extreme distaste and annoyance before returning his gaze to the dancing coloured flames. Not really paying attention to them, only using their dancing to avoid his thoughts. His attention drifted as he heard a shout or cry or something, but it was far too muffled to make out who it was let alone what gender it was, part of him silently hoped it was Rinoa. But he was pretty certain it wasn't considering Riku seemed to stress the point of staying close to the Oasis.

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa followed Riku deeper and deeper into the woods, hoping against hope that he wasn't leading them into a trap. She stifled a yawn as they entered the darkness, and found herself becoming tired. However her nerves were on edge, which prevented her from closing her eyes. Rinoa gazed at the darkness, and made out the lines of her companions. Other than them, she couldn't see any outlines of creatures. Rinoa was relieved, she didn't know how she would fight the creatures in the dark...unless....there was light. With that thought in mind, Rinoa bent down and luckily found a flint rock on the ground. She picked this up, along with a long wooden stick. Rinoa put the stick on the flint rock, and then picked up another rock. She struck this against the stick and the flint and instantly created a torch. It was pitch black now, and she could see her companions, thanks to the blazing flames.  
  
Rinoa then picked up more wooden sticks and lit them on fire with her own. She passed these around so everyone had one, so they could see. Rinoa then pocketed the flint rock and the other rock, just in case. She found herself looking around at huge trees that seemed to be looming over them. She then moved the torch over the patches of darkness in the forest. So far, so good. She was almost certain, however, that it wouldn't be like this for long. She moved the torch over Riku's face and watched as his winced in the sudden light. She gave him an apologetic smile before moving it out of his face. That's when she heard it, one snap of a twig, another. Rinoa spun on her heels and her expression took on one of shock as they started to come. The Heartless. Rinoa took out her pinwheel, and with one hand, shot them as fast as rain poured from the sky.  
  
Rinoa waved the torch in front of her, towards the heartless. They seemed to back away from this. She found herself grinning as she continued to shoot them. It would be sensible to collect some rocks, and more wooden sticks, so they could make spears and other weapons, if needed. Rinoa filled her mouth with some of the oasis water but didn't swallow it. Instead she blew it into the fire, and watched as the fire sent out a wave of fury towards the heartless. This made them die easily, and Rinoa was satisfied. She waved the torch towards the trees and noticed all sorts of fruits growing on them. Rinoa started to climb the trees, despite the looks she received from her companions. She knocked plenty of Bananas, Pineapples, and Some other star-shaped fruit off of the trees.   
  
Rinoa quickly put these into her pockets, making sure they would have at least something to eat when they got back to the campfire. She smiled at the others before dragging Riku along to find some animals for them to eat. Her search for the animals had ended when she saw a group of rabbits clearly scared in front of them. Rinoa winced, she didn't want to hurt the animals, but they needed food. Instead, Rinoa pushed Riku in front of her and demanded that he do it. She turned around as she heard the clean swipe of a blade through flesh. She then made a gagging face as Riku dumped the dead corpses of the rabbits into her arms. Forcing herself not to throw up, Rinoa carried these in her arms. She watched as blood dripped onto the ground and almost found herself wanting to drop them.  
  
Rinoa then saw a flock of birds overhead, barely visible in the darkness. She shot them down one by one with her pinwheel. Rinoa collected these, also. She pulled out a cloth from her pocked and dumped the animals into it, surprisingly they all fit. She then tied this up and proceeded to walk with the others, every now and then collecting rocks and sticks for spears. Rinoa also shoved plenty of herbs into her pockets, satisfied with the process she was making. Rinoa stopped in her tracks as did the others. It pretty much looked like their work was complete. All Rinoa wanted to do now was rest, and fast.

**Sephiroth**  
  
As Edea came through the keyhole just before it closed he cast a look in her direction. Single handedly he had managed to get his grips on two of Riku's friends, one of which was also a keyblade holder, and to solve their dilenma of not being able to reach this world. Yes, draining Riku's world of it's energy would be quite fun too... _Maybe I'll get to that later._ He thought to himself.  
  
Having the sheath and the keyblade he secured them to his side before looking around the shadows, the shadows which had eyes that watched him and the Sorceress hungerily. "We're not alone Sorceress." He said over his shoulder to Edea before walking to a pre-cut path, he looked down it for only a second. "We go this way..." He didn't say why, but he was quite sure that the Sorceress would pick up on the fact that Riku had went this way. He was willing to bet on it.  
  
Walking down the path to the Oasis Sephiroth encountered a few heartless, but the creatures were soon enough dispossed of, a large one that had survived a previous fight entered the path blocking his way to Riku and he sighed softly. The creatures just seemed to think that Sephiroth was easy pickings, taking his Masmurane, he lifted it high and slashed the thing, succeeding in cutting off its poor, pathetic tail and opening up the pathway again. The large heartless cried out angerily and threw its huge arm out towards Sephiroth, whom jumped to the side, getting past the heartless. He smirked as now the thing seemed to go after the Sorceress. This was her chance to do _something_ semi useful.   
  
Continuing down the path, he was sure Edea could handle her own against that thing. Coming to the Oasis he smirked to himself, the place was bright and even had it's little group about. The blonde girl whom Riku had stopped him from killing was kneeling down by a bright and colourful fire, and then there was Cloud and Tifa. Actually, if it weren't for these three he wouldn't have even paid the group any heed at all.  
  
Edea came up behind him shortly enough, looking slightly irritated with Sephiroth for leaving her to deal with that thing back there, but he couldn't really care any less. There was however, one brave boy in the group whom pushed himself off of the tree he was leaning on. Wearing a white trench coat, it seemed with the arrival of the Sorceress something struck him inside and he decided to play hero. Drawing the odd sword which came with a gun for the hilt. The boy stepped infront of Sephiroth and Edea.  
  
"Point the way to where Riku is and I might just let you live." Sephiroth said in his cold emotionless voice.  
  
**Seifer**  
  
As he glanced into the fire and began to pay more attention he could swear he saw Fujin and Rajin in it's flames which startled him softly, but he wouldn't look away. He longed for their compainionship frowning very slightly he looked away. Forcing his mind to think of other things... he wouldn't get all _"touchy feely"_ in front of this crowd. However, a welcome distraction came as a man with long silver hair walked into the Oasis. Unsure of whether this man was friend or foe, any questions he soon had were pushed away with the arrival of Edea.  
  
It was their fault then that he was here. Seeing that if Edea was with him, he assumed the other man was Sephiroth of whom he had heard so much about. He waisted no time in drawing his gunblade and blocking the two of theirs path to the others. This was the chance he had been waiting for, to prove which side he was on, for now. He could easily prove them all right about who he was and join up with this man and the Sorceress (yet again) and follow a path of chaos and destruction. But he wouldn't. He was playing on the good side this time, and he would defeat the both of them, single handedly if need be - or die trying.  
  
As the man asked a question he just nodded his head toward the path that Riku had taken with the others. "He went down there... but you're not getting past me." Seifer said. Determination burned in his voice. Maybe he'd be able to get out of this strange world sooner then he expected, re-capturing the Sorceress as well - or killing her this time so she wouldn't be of his worries.  
  
With that he waisted no time of jumping into action, taking his sword and slashing out at Sephiroth's chest, which he was sure would be blocked somehow by the man's long 6-foot sword, or even the _keyblade_ maybe that rested at his side. However, a gunblade had more advantages then just a blade, as it's name suggested, and he pulled the trigger as well, aiming a bullet at Sephiroth's chest.

**Riku **  
  
Riku continued down the path with the rest, although stopped momentarily to grab one of the torches Rinoa had fashioned, he had to admit- it was good to have her, he doubted the arrogant man with the trench coat would have been much use then a thorn in his side- and he didn't have the patience to put up with that kind of behavior anymore. Sighing once more, he motioned his hand to signify that they wouldn't go any farther, he didn't want to shy away from the Oasis too much, enough to find what they were looking for...but close enough for them to get back unharmed- which was soon diminished as Rinoa seemingly blew fire with the help of the Oasis water into a group of Heartless...however, it wasn't the small heartless he was worried about- he didn't want the larger heartless to come running to help their smaller, weaker breathen. Sighing and slashing the remaining Heartless with his Keyblade, the pale young man watched as Rinoa gathered fruits, and nodded towards her as If saying 'good job'.  
  
"We shouldn't go any farther...", was all Riku managed to spit out before Rinoa grabbed him and ushered him deeper into the forest, to a group of bunnies. Rolling his eyes at her squirming, he effortlessly cut into most of the group, the rest of the unfortunate animals running off deeper into the darkness. Picking up the bunnies, he merely dropped them into Rinoa's hands and continued on, marveling at her skill with her Pinwheel as several birds dropped down from the sky...which was when he felt it. The unbearable shooting pain that seemed to crack his heart in two, he winced and grunted aloud, clenching his chest with one hand and seeming to double over, landing on one knee to support himself when he looked for, but that wasn't the only odd thing that happened. For some odd reason, he thought of Sora and Kairi, and himself...when they were children on the island, carefree and 'best friends forever' as they used to tell each other. Shaking his head and trying to force the memories back into the depths of his mind, he managed to stand up and withstand the fading pain that shot through his heart. Looking towards the others as if nothing had happened and motioning towards the Oasis path.  
  
"We go...something's...", Riku didn't get the chance to finish his sentence when a much larger Heartless...that seemed to have been in a fight before, seeing it had several bullet holes and half of its tail was missing. Not taking any chances, he merely glared into the beings red and yellow eyes, clenching the fruit filled with the Oasis water and quickly throwing it towards the creature, but he wasn't done yet...as it flew past him, he quickly plunged his torch towards it, the flames licking over the fruit and eventually catching it on fire, however...the flames mixed with the Oasis water, and the fire quickly exploded in a flurry of white and silver flames as it came in contact with the heartless, easily catching it on fire and diminishing it to a puddle of shadow and blood. "Wrong", he finally finished his sentence before turning on his heel, stepping over the creatures remaints and continuing to the Oasis clearing...  
  
**Squall Leonhart **  
  
Squall watched as Rinoa disappeared into the shadows, forcing himself to turn away and not go after her, shaking his head and focusing on the fire that Rikku created, he casually made his way over towards the purple and blue flames whilst motioning over Quistis as well. Stopping momentarily as he saw flashes of Garden in the flames, shaking his head once more, he figured it was just the longing for home getting to him, making him see things. So he eventually tore his eyes away from the flames as well, walking over towards Rikku and settling down next to her, glancing headlong at the odd petite blonde girl, hoping to form a stronger friendship with her as he spoke.  
  
"Hey, nice going", he motioned his hand towards the fire, indicating that he was indeed talking about that, he was still amazed at how she could have created fire with a simple hair band...maybe she used Magic? Shrugging, Squall's ears instantly perked up as he heard an unfamiliar voice, his eyes darting towards the path they had made their way to the Oasis with...where he saw a tall silver haired man, and more importantly...Edea. Quickly standing up, he pulled out his Gunblade and walked towards Seifer, his facial features instantly hardening as he glared into the Sorceresses golden pupils.  
  
"Seifer, don't do anything stupid, I'm still your Squad leader. Quistis, make sure the others are safe", he spoke whilst glaring at Edea, flashes of Balamb and her prison running through his mind like flickering images on a television screen. He tightened his grip on the hilt of his Gunblade, watching horrifically as Seifer burst forth and attacked the silver haired man, instantly running forward and trying to defend Seifer, holding his sword up in a defensive posture he had learned in Garden. He may not like Seifer much...but he was still his Squad leader, and he didn't want any of his Squad to die.  
  
_'Rinoa...Please stay away' _Squall thought of Rinoa bursting in and trying to do something heroic. He knew the silver haired man was just as evil and powerful as Edea...and they couldn't even defeat the Sorceress before, just imprison her. He was afraid- not for himself...but for Rinoa, he hoped that she stayed out of sight, and desperately hoped she did not get hurt.

**Quistis Trepe**  
  
Seifer had offered to go, there would be no point in Quistis offering as well. It would just lead to some sort of argument, she was happy enough staying here and helping Squall and Rinoa with the camp.  
  
She watched those who had decided to get standing together, then she looked over at everyone else. Rinoa and Squall were standing next to each other. She heard Rinoa say she wanted to go, Quistis looked over at Seifer, he had that look on his face that told her he was beginning to get annoyed. Rinoa's desicion to go led to an argument between Squall and Seifer, their arguments were nothing new but still they did become tiring after all this time.  
  
Quistis walked towards Squall and stood next to him and watched the group begin to leave. They were brave, who knew what was out there. They were all trapped in this unknown dangerous place, at least they were all working together now. It would have been much worse if fights had started up between them. Riku stopped Seifer and told him to stay here, Quistis couldn't help but smile. It was about time people started showing Seifer that they wouldn't be pushed around by him.  
  
Quistis nearly jumped when a silver haired man arrived with the sorceress Edea. This was not something she had been expected. Seifer was already prepared to fight but Squall told him to stand down. She had been given told to make sure the others were safe and that's what she would do.  
  
_'Ok. You heard him.'_   
  
She turned around to face those who remained. Her only fear was that they would decide to do their own thing. She whispered some instructions to them, Edea would most likely still hear her but whispering it gave her some sort of comfort.  
  
_'Everyone move back. We're trained for this.'_

**Rikku **  
  
Rikku smiled at Squall about to thank him and was considering warning him about the _side effects_ that the fire had, when she also heard the noise. Seeing Sephiroth there, she felt a flash of pain and outrage, as well as a brief flicker of irony that the group supposedly safe at the oasis was now in the most danger. Most of all she was determined. She was going to kill the bastard even if it killed _her_. She didn't even hear Quistis's telling them to get back because they were "trained". She was raging inside, and trying to decide what she was going to do. As anything associated with the pyreflies is wont to do, the flames reacted to her strong emotions flaring brightly as they burst higher up into the air with a loud popping noise. Drawn to the flame again because of the sound, she saw not only Gippal's face, but Yunie's as well, both yelling two words to her soundlessly. Rikku stared entranced, everything fading away, the shouts from Quistis, Squall, and the others, even the existence of the silver haired man and golden eyed woman who had become her worst enemies with just one slash of a sword. As these all faded a way, and Gippal and Yuna came into almost crystalline focus and there shouts became clear in her head.  
  
_"Not yet! Not yet! Not yet!" _  
  
Rikku, in a daze, was about to ask why when the sounds of more gunshots shook her out of it, and Gippal and Yunie's faces wavered then vanished in the flames taking with them all uncertainty about what to do as well as giving her memories of what had happened more focus. She knew exactly what happened, could even remember some of that conversation. It had somehow filtered into her subconscious. Most importantly though, the door in the machine had opened by a key... the very keyblade that Riku had in his possession, which was why she supposed Sephiroth was looking for him at all. Because he could open the paths between the worlds for him... but if he had one in his possession now... One thing was clear, they'd have to get it away from him. Though Riku said that his was attuned to him, or something to that effect, who knew about the one Sephiroth had, maybe it was his key to power.  
  
Rikku firmly believed that despite any sort of authority of rank, ultimately decisions came down to personal choice. They had to at least alert the others of what was going on, so they could stay away or come and fight. Otherwise there would just be blame and regret. Thus, dropping to her knees in a swift movement, she reached out and she grabbed not one, but five of the strips she had cut. Moving quickly she reached with her other hand and grabbed the pile of glass, ignoring the bite as they cut through her skin, it didn't matter about her hand now. She dropped the glass into what remained of her pack and tucked it under her arm, glancing over to see that Sephiroth and the Sorceress were still distracted as Squall joined into the battle. How the others decided to act or not act was ultimately a personal decision, and she felt that everyone needed to know what was going on. Turning back to what she was doing, but moving faster now, she kicked one of the small branches by the fire away, still lit, grabbing it as well. Jumping to her feet, she backed up a set, and got ready to run when she tossed the cloth strips into the fire.  
  
"Heads up!"  
  
An explosion immediately followed, sending the fire spiraling up up ten feet, fifteen, twenty into the air, a strange purple fog flowing outward. Her action had two purposes, firstly to warn those in the woods that something was up and to stay away or come as they will, and secondly to give her cover. Glancing back briefly as she ran, she could barely make out the other figures faintly flickering from the odd firelight like ghosts in the fog before disappearing all together. Rikku herself headed for the trees, while normally clumsy, when she was focused on a task she could move both quickly and silently. Circling back wide enough, so she could get around behind where Sephiroth and Edea were standing, severely hoping her small candle-sized flame was just another flicker in the fog to anyone looking. Gripping the pack full of glass tightly in her fist, she began to approach.

**Sephiroth**  
  
If Seifer had been nearly as intimidating to Sephiroth as he seemed to believe he was, Sephiroth may have made a move to remove to _gift_ in which he had _made_ for Riku. He was looking forwards to meeting up with the boy once again, longing to see his reaction. Seifer was unimportant to him at the moment, merely an obstacle in his way. Same with Squall, Cloud, and the others, he had no care for them. No threat taken in by them. He would kill them if they insisted upon fighting though  
  
As soon as he found Riku he'd deliver his gift, if he failed to get Riku's friend's - who's name he had already forgotten - keyblade to work he'd merely use Riku to get to the promised land, and then to become a god, not to mention reuniting with his mother. In the end he'd get what he wanted. That he knew.  
  
Another man began to utter orders to Seifer and someone else, this one seemingly having more sense then Seifer had. However, Seifer disobeyed orders as he jumped at Sephiroth, Sephiroth moved quickly drawing his Masmurane to hit the oncoming blade off target, he caught sight of Seifer's finger beginning to pull the trigger of the gunblade and at that same moment threw his weight backwards, leaning over, he continued to move, spinning around and bringing the hand in which he held his sword to the back of Seifer's neck. He narrowly avoided the bullet that Seifer had shot off in his attack, but after his attack, Seifer fell forwards.  
  
"Now, anyone else wish to play hero?" he asked, scanning over the group that was present. It was the blonde girl whoms boyfriend he had killed that stepped into action, actually, he had only caught sight of her tossing something in the air which gave off a purple fog, covering the area. Sephiroth may be pyschotic, but he wasn't stupid, he figured the girl was coming in to attack him with the cover of her mystical fog, and so, he kept his senses up. As sight was of little use.  
  
He soon heard her watchful breathing and careful steps creeping up behind him and smirked inwardly, he didn't turn around, but instead the grip upon his sword tightened, he counted down in his head silently. _5... 4... 3... 2... 1..._ and with that, he spun on his heel, his silver hair flying about his shoulders and he swung his sword out towards the girl.  
  
**Seifer**  
  
He rolled his eyes in annoyance as Squall told him to basically "stand down". He could handle the Sorceress and Sephiroth, but at the very least it wouldn't be single-handedly. It wasn't like just because of one fight he'd jump sides, Despite his show of arrogance and attitude he _had_ learned his lesson the last time.   
  
However, secretly he was glad that he had also ordered Quistis to stay back. At least that way he wouldn't have to worry about the others, _or anyone else_, getting injured. As Sephiroth easily dodged his attack Seifer had been caught off guard, yes, he did expect Sephiroth to find someway out, but he hadn't counted for the man to escape his shot without a wound. He didn't have time to retailiate though as Sephiroth's sword hilt hit the back of his neck, the pain hit immediately, shoot through his spine and and neck and with a startled gasp he fell face first into the dirt. Fighting to stay concious.  
  
It took a few minutes, but as the world became covered in a purple fog, he just made out the outline of Rikku sneaking up behind Sephiroth, lazily, he glanced towards Sephiroth whom stood still fairly close by, he noticed the clenching of his hand and figured it out almost immediately, the man knew she was there. He would attack and if he had his way - probably kill her.  
  
It was pure adreniline which gave him the strength to get up off the ground at the last seconds, not even bothering to fully stand as he threw himself forwards, pushing himself and Rikku down to the ground as Sephiroth's blade soared out, not without further injury though as further pain shot through his back, the blade, had caught him leaving a deep gash in is back, but he was alive... and Rikku unharmed. He rolled off of the petite blonde, and smirked as he let out a comment.  
  
"You should be more carefull girly."

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa followed Riku towards the Oasis. She stopped in her tracks, when she saw the purple fog over head. She immediately recognized this as a signal that they were in trouble. Rinoa quickened her pace and they reached the oasis. She stepped slightly in front of Riku, as to hide him from Sephiroth's view. Rinoa's gaze darted towards Squall, who was way too close to Sephiroth for her to handle. Rinoa shot him a worried glance before turning her gaze upon Edea. She seemed to be the same cold-hearted sorceress she had known years ago.  
  
Rinoa looked at both Sephiroth and Edea with hatred. She gazed at Squall, willing him to step back from Sephiroth. If he so much as got a scratch on him, Rinoa would never forgive herself. She looked at him with pleading eyes, as she stood her ground, currently unable to do anything. Rinoa felt as if she was trapped, and she hated that feeling. She wanted to protect Squall, but she also knew she had to keep Riku out of sight. She hoped Riku wouldn't do anything stupid.  
  
_Please..._

**Rikku **  
  
Rikku stepped carefully, she could just barely see his outline, when she noticed that he seemed to tense up.  
  
_Shoopuff... he knows I'm here. _  
  
She was getting ready to move, when Sephiroth's blade swung out and Seifer jumped in front of her, the blade grazing off his back as he fell on top of her, totally squished by his weight, but otherwise unharmed. Rikku gasped as he rolled off of her, but moved into action as well after all Sephiroth was still standing there..  
  
"Gee thanks. Now run for the oasis!"  
  
She figured, she'd just have to dodge Sephiroth for long enough... Thankfully the flame hadn't gone out, due to the properties of the chemicals, it would burn for hours... and this worked to her advantage. Glaring at Sephiroth, she danced out of reach, while she fumbled with her pack. He might be bigger and physically stronger, but Rikku was certainly faster. Thankfully Rikku had left the strap of the bag alone, because right now she needed it. Setting it alight, she dropped the stick, which still lay burning on the ground, and held the bag out, essentially holding a bomb and fuse... with not just the explosive that seeped the bag, but the glass inside as well.   
  
"You saw the explosion, this will be ten times as strong. You killed the only person I had left... that was a mistake, for now I have no fear of death... do you? Drop that keyblade and get out of this place, or we all die."  
  
Rikku smiled and glanced at the cord, getting smaller and smaller. She didn't even check to see if Seifer had left, though she was keeping her eye out to see if that magic woman was about. She could bluff with the best of them... at least so long as there was no thunder involved. If Sephiroth still made no move, she'd keep her distance until it burnt down and then she'd throw it at him and hope for the best... the explosion wouldn't be _that_ big she hoped... but that was of course why she had wanted Seifer to run... and then she could at least grab the keyblade away so he couldn't use it to kill more people in other worlds.

**Seifer**  
  
He had no thoughts of heading to the Oasis just yet, he was pretty sure that Edea and her friend didn't know about it's healing properties and he wasn't about to let his _small_ injuries be the what gave that away. No, he could live with this, he had after all survived worse. Much worse.  
  
"Let's keep that our little secret for now..."  
  
He said in a soft whisper, pulling himself up, he winced slightly as movement provoked further pain in his back, but laying down in the dirt had only been stinging his open wound. The thought struck after words that his trenchcoat had been slashed and stained due to his wound, and his anger level rose considerably.  
  
Watching as Rikku threatened all their lives he arched an eyebrow quizzically, it didn't make any sense. Sure, she had no wish to live because she was alone, but did she have to take all of _them_ with her. It appeared the little girl was a bit suicidal by the looks of things - either that or she was bluffing. It was too hard to tell and trying to figure it out only succeeded in a migrane.  
  
He listened as she mentioned something about dropping the keyblade. He didn't understand yet wat was gon on completely, so instead he'd just have to play along, and get that keyblade. He knew enough that the Sephiroth and Edea having their hands on a keyblade was _not_ good news.  
  
It seemed Sephiroth was distracted by Rikku and he smirked slightly, moving forwards didn't wait around to alert Sephiroth that he had been up again, instead of attacking he ran to the side of Sephiroth, his hand dropping to grab hold of the keyblade's hilt...

**Cloud**  
  
Cloud looked deep into Tifa's eyes, listening to her words and actually taking them in. Before, he would have cared only for himself, but she changed him. He cared more for her than he did about himself, that he did about anything, and it was only natural that he'd put himself on the line to save her. "I know, I'm sorry.. I just couldn't bear seeing you like that", he said, leaning in for a tender kiss on her lips. It was behind them now and they were together.  
  
Meanwhile, the group left as Rikku started a fire. Not a normal fire but a strange enticing one, almost forcing him to look, pulling him inside. She seemed very skilled, it hadn't taken much to pull it off and she'd done it with some sort of chemical mixed that he guessed she'd concocted. "Beautiful isn't it?", he said, turning to Tifa. Sitting there with her in front of the warmth and beauty of the fire was like heaven for him. He couldn't think of anything better. It was almost like the sliver lining of the clouds. That something as great as this could come from being thrown into the woods with nightmarish creatures. However that was all about to change.  
  
As Sephiroth pulled into the clearing Clouds eyes snapped from the fire to glare at him. _Son of a..._, he thought as flashbacks of Aeris's death entered his mind along with the sadness and worry that filled him as Tifa lay uncoscious and bleeing in the woods. If Riku hadn't brought them there then he had - it made sense since they'd been after him and even more considering who and what he was. It was just his sort of thing.. but then again not. He wouldn't want all of these warriors together unless he'd really gone crazy. Whichever it was, Cloud didn't care. He'd taken Aeris and caused nothing but pain and now he was here he was going to die.  
  
Cloud was about to jump up when a number of things happened in rapid succession. One of his companions attacked Sephiroth with what Cloud guessed was a gunblade. However he didn't manage to even scratch Sephiroth with bullet or blade. Another one told everyone to stay back, that they were trained for things like this. _Stupid fools.. they have no idea what they're dealing with – **who** they're dealing with._. Rikku then took her turn, doing something that affected the flames, making them raise higher but that didn't work either. She'd only barely been saved from death. A keyblade was also mentioned – that Sephiroth had dropped one which only led to more questions such as; how did he get a keyblade? This was bad, very bad. He was about to attack when something in the flames caught his eyes.  
  
"Aeris?", he thought aloud as she appeared in the flames, covered with a purple glow. What did this mean? What the hell was going on? He thought it was a trick of the mind but then she spoke to him. She told him not to attack, that it wasn't time. "Well how do I know when its time?", he asked in a whisper. She replied that he'd know when it was the time, that he'd feel it but for now he was to wait until that feeling came and then it would be the time for him to get his revenge – to kill Sephiroth.  
  
He guessed that this also had something to do with a woman with him. She looked powerful and it was also as he could sense power coming from her. The others seemed to know her, she was sort of their Sephiroth.. if that was possible. She didn't seem to have a weapon but perhaps she was a mage, a blackmage. Whatever her power was, he wouldn't underestimate her as the others had done with Sephiroth. However when it was 'the time' to attack Sephiroth, he'd be ready.  
  
Looking towards Rikku he saw that she seemed to be threatening Sephiroth, but what she said next shocked and amazed him. _What the hell is she doing?!_, he thought, thinking of Tifa. Just because she'd lost someone, didn't mean that he should have to lose Tifa. How dare she take all of their lives into her hands! She seemed to have gone over the edge but perhaps she was just threatening him, or just distracting him. One of the others seemed to think so as he went after the blade. Cloud doubted that he'd get it considering Sephiroths speed and skill but he also doubted that Rikku'd kill them all. Aeris told him that his time would come and that wouldn't happen if he was dead. For now all he could do was hold Tifa close, watching in silence as the events unfolded. Ever waiting for his revenge...

**Tifa **  
  
Tifa smiled and kissed Cloud back, trying to quell the terror she felt at the thought of losing him. Sitting down next to Cloud in front of the oddly colored fire, she leaned her against his shoulder, and stared into the beautiful flames, giving Cloud a sleepy smile at his comment. At a point she was almost certain that she had nodded off because she began to see the stars over cosmo canyon again in the fire before the scene danced away to be replaced by Nibelheim, burning all over again. Tifa lifted her head up disturbed and felt Cloud tense beside her. Following his gaze she saw to her horror that Sephiroth had arrived. Though they had been on their way to destroy him before, it was quiet another thing for him to just pop up seemingly out of nowhere. Standing up, she was about to move into action, but paused, her attention was drawn away when she noticed the small strangely dressed girl throwing something else into the fire.  
  
_What is she ...?_  
  
She jumped slightly as the fire flamed up and the strange fog began pouring out, covering the surrounding area. Straining her eyes in the fog, she could barely make out what was going on. She turned back to Cloud hearing him mutter Aeris's name and frowned slightly, wondering at what he was seeing as he stared into the fire. _Was he actually talking to Aeris?!_  
  
She watched as the fog lifted slightly, now noticing Rikku again, holding what appeared to be some kind of bomb. Touching her forehead, Tifa remembered what Cloud had said about the girl binding her wound, and just couldn't believe that she was really going to try and kill everyone. Besides, she kind of suspected it was more directed at Sephiroth. Still it was a bad situation and no resolution immediately offered itself, so she stood with Cloud to watch, and wait... looking for an opportunity that she was sure would present itself.

**Riku **  
  
Riku's cold emotionless eyes widened as Rinoa stepped in front of him, seemingly trying to hide him from view of Sephiroth and the odd Ice Sorceress who had nearly impaled him last time. For a few moments, the true Keyblade Wielder stood still, listening to the conversations amongst the two evil beings and the rest of the group...that was, until he saw the one known as Seifer reach for something around Sephiroth's waist...a Keyblade. Instantly clenching the hilt of his own, his emotionless eyes squinted into the purple fog that was slowly dissipating around them...realizing the Keyblade as none other then Sora's. Soras...how could that be? He was safe on Destiny Island with Kairi, shaking his head. Riku glanced over at the licking purple flames that Rikku had created, his muscles tensing slightly in surprise as flashes of both Sora and Kairi seemed to dance within the blue and purple flames...how could that be? Shrugging, Riku had waited long enough, and instantly pulled out his own Keyblade, he was confident in his abilities- as well as the nine warriors in his group...who all seemed to have something against both Sephiroth and his partner...which he could use to his advantage.   
  
"Sora" He spoke his thoughts aloud unwillingly, side-stepping Rinoa and stepping out into the open. His keyblade firmly drawn and pointed straight towards Sephiroth's back, seemingly cornering him between Squall's gunblade and his own, more deadly weapon. Accustoming his eyes to the fog, that even though was lessening in nature...still plagued all their sights. He merely squinted his eyes once more and held the Keyblades hilt firmly in his hands, not having the faintest idea at how Sephiroth had gotten Sora's keyblade...unless...unless he had, no- Riku couldn't think that. Sora could take care of himself; he wouldn't be taken advantage of by some menacing stranger. Sora had faced more...hadn't he?  
  
He merely shook his head once more, his own silver hair falling out of his eyes, revealing much more of his face then even the nine warriors had seen of him. His emotionless eyes glancing from the Keyblade to Sephiroth, the Keyblade pointed towards Sephiroth's back, and the torch that Rinoa had fashioned for him held firmly behind the odd Ice Sorceress, he had seen her skill with the Element of Ice...and he hoped, fire was her weakness, or at least would counteract her own Magicks. Clenching both weapons in front of him, he glanced towards Rikku and raised an eyebrow as she spoke, instantly realizing she was bluffing- she may have lost the one she loved...but she wouldn't risk all of their lives. Would she?  
  
**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall's eyes twitched as Seifer continued to taunt Edea and the odd silver haired man, holding his ground and clenching the hilt of his Gunblade once more. Positioning himself for a perfect strike when the time came, which came sooner then he thought. Both Seifer and Riku seemed to move with each other, and Riku had a torch and his own weapon to both Edea and Sephiroth, and while Rikku was distracting Sephiorth and Edea, and while Seifer was lunging towards Sephiroth's waist...Squall didn't wait any longer. He had fought Edea before, and he knew there was no room for error- or any room to let her gain the upper hand. Shooting a warning glance towards Rinoa, as if to tell her that he didn't want her getting hurt. Squall instantly jumped into action, leaving the small window of time that Rikku, Riku, and Seifer's actions had given him.  
  
Squall instantly pulled his Gunblade downwards, dragging it through the air to slice across Edea's chest, pulling his trigger as it sliced past Sephiroth, shooting his own bullet towards Sephiroth as well- Squall didn't have time to calculate a plan, and he wasn't acting like himself either, he didn't have time to. He had to do what he thought at the moment, and with Edea out of her prison, and powerful as ever...as well as teamed up with what seemed like a male version of her- power wise, he didn't have time to act level headed, it was what ever came to mind- and what ever he could do to possibly bring Edea and her...partner in crime, down- once and for all.

**Yuffie**  
  
Yuffie waited and watched, yawning as there was a slight disagreement on who should go along with the three who had already volunteered. Rikku, Rinoa and Seifer all seemed to want to go, but it ended up that Rinoa went, at the bidding of Riku. She shrugged at this, it didn't really matter to her either way. They were going for supplies, sure it was dangerous, but she knew they would return. It was only a supply run after all, what could go wrong?  
  
Unfortunately, The Fates seemed to hear the question and find it amusing, for things _did_ go wrong.  
  
She stretched as everything was finally decided and almost got smacked in the head by the coconuts Riku had thrown at each of them. It was only her ninja instincts that stopped her from being whopped upside the head. Catching them and placing them around her waist as Riku did, she followed the line into the forest, catching only the last part of Riku's speech. "_Instead of healing them-it kills them._" Yuffie decided he had been speaking about the Heartless and the Oasis water, and she felt slight relief on having another weapon, just incase.  
  
Yuffie tramped along the others, unconsciously sliding her fingers back along her knife, tapping it, almost as if assuring itself of it's existence. There was a flare of light somewhere beside her as Rinoa created several torches. Yuffie almost grinned, it was nice being finally able to see. There were a few more silent minutes before a slight crack of a stick was heard. This wasn't an unfamiliar sound, they had been cracking and stepping on sticks since the beginning, but this sound was much too far off to be any of them. But then that meant-Yuffie groaned aloud as darkness seemed to overcome all else around them, flipping out her knife as she gazed around. Holding it like an old friend, another burst of light came from her side and she watched as Rinoa blew Oasis water across several Heartless at once.   
  
Fumbling with one of her coconuts, she bathed her knife in the water, then slashed several of the Heartless, not wanting to be useless in this fight. The darkness seemed to die away, leaving a still dusky path. Rinoa scaled a tree, almost monkey like, and Yuffie would've said something if she hadn't noticed the fruits at the top. Yuffie followed the group, almost bored after their encounter with the Heartless and watched with a half grin as Riku dumped dead rabbits into Rinoa's arms. _Grossness_ thought Yuffie, and said as much.  
  
Trotting along, Yuffie made comments every now and then, as she gazed at plants, deeming a few edible and collecting them as did her teammates. There was sudden silence though as Riku doubled over, seemingly in great pain. He started to speak, but was cut off by the arrival of another Heartless. Yuffie swore and began to take out her knife, but Riku her beat her, his hands moving so fast, they were almost a blur. The Heartless was gone a few seconds later and Riku finished what he had begun to say. Yuffie just nodded and followed, noticing that the ever silent Vincent was even more silent than usual, as if that was even possible. All thought was reigned in as Yuffie saw Sephiroth and another woman in the clearing. Noticing Rinoa step in front of Riku, Yuffie's mind raced and she stepped forward also without hesitation. If she was going to die, she was going to go down fighting. But that's when the thought registered, _no one was fighting._ No one had moved until Squall jumped, but then, he attacked the woman. Yuffie's brain raced and all she could think to say was,  
  
"Why the hell aren't we attacking?" but she spoke low, her vocal chords rebelling, only the ones closest to her could hear. Mainly Vincent, as he hadn't moved. Vincent was usually the only one who actually heard her, so this wasn't a new surprise.  
  
But honestly, Sephiroth was _right there_ and everyone was just going to wait for him to unleash something new and deadly? Well wowee, what a brilliant plan. Yuffie mentally sighed. Well, she would wait, just like everyone else, for Sephiroth to unleash some new evil upon the world.  
  
Like that was a surprise. _Didn't evil villains ever get tired of being so_...Yuffie shrugged, _so damn evil?_ Apparently not.

**Quistis**   
  
As Rikku seemed to completely miss what she had said about staying back and going to fight Quistis tilted her head slightly, turning to watch the scene as it unravelled, without a thing she could do. She felt sort of useless in comparisson just standing there with nothing to do, though Seifer's heroics did catch her as a surprise. In all her years of knowing Seifer, since they were children basically, she had known him to only play for himself and no one else. Now here he was working almost as a team with Rikku. What had gotten into him?  
  
The purple fog that covered the place threw off her vision and as she heard the sounds of the fight continuing she held her breath - nervous as too whom the winner would be. Seifer had been hurt and in true Seifer-fashion he refused to go down without a fight - nor to heal up in the Oasis. Apparently wanting to keep it's healing properties secret, which she couldn't blame him for.  
  
The fog began to lift slightly and she could make out the outlines of Seifer, Sephiroth, Squall, and Rikku as well as hear the threat Rikku had made very clearly. _Is she out of her mind?_ Her heart raced with the threat to all of their lives. And she moved without thinking... a protective instinct for herself, her friends and the others.  
  
"Now hold it... lets not be doing anything rash!" she said towards Rikku. An attempt to convince the girl not to take them all with her.  
  
**Sephiroth**  
  
Movement to the side caught his attention as he noticed the arrival of several others. Though due to the purple fog, he couldn't make out whom it was, only that there were 4 of them. Though he didn't have enough time to think about it as Rikku, the stubborn blonde girl made an idle threat. Not that he believed she'd actually risk the life of herself - nor the present group. Though, she could be telling the truth he had met few people whom were willing to go that far to hurt him.  
  
Mentioning the keyblade though, he smirked, a hand drifted down to it's hilt, grabbing hold of it just as Seifer caught him by surprise from behind, grabbing at the hilt at the same time. "You again?" He asked, sounding somewhat bored with this small _child_ he was faced to fight. It seemed the boy hadn't learnt his lesson the first time. Seifer went to absently reach for his gunblade to attack when he realized he didn't have it, no his gunblade was still down where he had fallen earlier.  
  
However, it seemed the little group just kept on coming for their piece of Sephiroth, Riku moving in behind him with his torch, and Squall in the front, he released his hold on the keyblade, letting Seifer take it and pulled out of the way, in the nit of time, recieving a small scratch from the bullet as it grazed his arm.  
  
Sephiroth laughed softly as his green eyes caught sight of Riku though, he ignored the small insignificant scar left by Squall's bullet as he turned to face the boy, forgetting everyone else, his free hand dropped to the bag that was attached to his waist, holding it up for Riku to see, the brown leather material darkened at the bottom, he tossed it towards the boy.  
  
"A gift your your little stunt earlier." He said in a oddly cold and amused voice. Whatever was inside the bag Kairi's head could not be good news for Riku.  
  
**Seifer**  
  
"I've got it!" He shouted out in mild shock and victory as he held up the keyblade, stummbling over his own feet slightly with the force of which he had ran at, stopped and began again it threw his balance off. None of that mattered much though as he had the keyblade that everyone seemed to want to get away from Sephiroth. It was a team effort, yes, though would he admit it later on, probably not.

**Edea **  
  
While Edea of course had no care about the death of some silly boy and girl, she _did_ object to the fact that Sephiroth had so foolishly slain another who could apparently use the keyblade. Revenge was all well and good, she planned her own to be sweet, however, patience was something that Sephiroth would do well to learn. It was incredibly foolish of him to kill that boy, they could have continued on like they had originally intended... power first and then destruction. Why not use the weaker more easily manipulated one to open the doors. That way if something went wrong, they could always find the infinitely more troublesome Riku, and once they had what they wanted, they could always destroy him. Destroy them all. Either way, his destruction was inevitable. Unfortunately, the foolish swordsman did not listen to reason. She'd teach him to soon enough, either that or kill him, but for now she'd use him. So Edea kept her silence, even grudgingly appreciated the effect that the head would have, and after all though she didn't particularly care when Riku died, the sooner the group from Balamb died, the better.  
  
Edea didn't even need to hear Sephiroth's words to know the direction in which to go once they got in the forested world. The power called to her. Edea trailed after him through the forest, she followed not out of fear of those they hunted, but sense. If Sephiroth should die, all much the better, for she wouldn't have to listen to his idealistic prattle about the promised land. She watched through serene golden eyes, as things exploded around them as she had expected, waiting for the right moment to act. After all this was her first chance to truly see whether this Sephiroth was a worthy ally or not, for those deaths he was responsible for thus far were hardly consequential. Studying from a slight distance, she kept her eyes on the girl with the makeshift bomb. She wasn't particularly worried, but she was curious as to how far she was going to go, whether it was a bluff or not. Soon though, the situation forced her to act and it became blatantly obvious that Sephiroth couldn't handle his side. He was more concerned with delivering the parcel then anything else. His death would come swifter then she thought. Edea permitted herself a small smile as Riku, pressed a torch close to her back. It was both amusing and primitive, and he was acting under the influence of a serious misconception, one that she was very careful to cultivate. Good thing too, or they would have tried harder to come up with a plan to kill her while she was in captivity. Edea merely liked the ice element as it fit her personality, her powers were far more encompassing, and as a sorceress she did not have the normal weaknesses that elemental creatures typically had.  
  
Barely moving her hand, she froze the air around the fire, choking it out, if he had tried to stab her, that would have been more effective, but only slightly as Squall had to realize moments later when as he tried to slash her, a blue icy barrier appeared in the air around her holding his sword in place, stubbornly he tried again. Edea's eyes gleamed and lifting her arms, she called up an icy gale that whirled around her forcefully knocking both Riku and Squall back. She let the gale die as Sephiroth tossed the bag, by now soaked through with the blood of the girl's head, and at that moment Seifer, her once puppet, grabbed the keyblade away and the strange little girl began with her threats again, waving the fire dangerously close to the weird bomb she had. Inclining her head she spoke.  
  
_"Enough with these silly games." _  
  
**Rikku **  
  
Rikku noted the faces of the others as they glanced towards her. A bluff only worked if it fooled everyone, as the reactions of bystanders added to the overall effect. Unfortunately, Sephiroth seemed to be in a world of his own, or just a freaking psycho in general. While Rikku was no death seeker, it seemed that the situation called for her to go through with it... if she could get the others to leave that was. Smiling slightly as she heard Quistis's comment, she responded without turning her head, making her voice carry.  
  
"It would be best if you all ran now."  
  
She breathed an inward sigh of relief seeing that at least Seifer had managed to snatch the keyblade. That at least was something so long as he _ran immediately_. It was at this point that the creepy lady, who oddly enough reminded her of Lulu, finally moved into action and Sephiroth chucked something in a messy looking bag at Riku. Instinctively she knew that whatever it was, it could not be good. Maybe it had to do with the name the Riku had shouted a short time before, or the first look of real emotion that was now present in his cold blue eyes, or at least more emotion that had ever showed before. Rikku scowled at Sephiroth and lifting the fuse, she pressed it down so the fire was almost touching the bag.  
  
"Except _you_! Think I'm lying? No more moves unless it's to back away."  
  
At that point the sorceress's chill voice, calm in spite of the chaos cut through the air, and the air began to get very _very_ cold, Rikku knew what this was, the same shift in the atmosphere had occurred before the sorceress had trapped her in that barrier of ice. She had to do something, _now_. She touched the end of the wick very close to the pack, they had no more then ten seconds, so she had to be fast. Closing her eyes briefly, concentrating. She had known the best blitzball player ever to grace Spira, and though at the time he taught her the Jecht shot, she like everyone else couldn't even begin to get it right, with great determination, and countless times of falling on her butt, exactly three years after Tidus had died along with Yuna, she had gotten it. True, they weren't in the water now, but hopefully the effect would be the same. Dropping it, Rikku kicked the pack hard not towards Sephiroth, but towards the sorceress, as she had hoped, it repelled beautifully off her weird force field, and jumping up, she spun and kicked it again with more force this time, high into the air.  
  
"Bmayca pa rekr ahuikr!" _Please be high enough..._  
  
For a moment, Rikku was certain she had gotten the timing wrong, that it was going back down before it would explode... they'd all die and it would be all her fault. Then, the pack exploded producing massive amounts of light, noise, and an impenetrable fog reigned down with the blue fire. As she had hoped, the ice the sorceress was created in the air allowed for two things to happen. Rikku yelped slightly as a thin spark landed on her arm. Most if not all of the fire was stopped before it could hit everyone, they'd probably be pssed at her about the burns, but if they could find there way towards the oasis now, and listened for once, maybe they'd make it. The ice also accomplished a second thing though, the coldness of the atmosphere meant that the fog would stay thick instead of disappating, the distraction would last.  
  
"RUN!"  
  
Rikku yelled once, then took her own advice only to move forward and hit an ice wall. Rikku stumbled back. Turning to see if her way was totally blocked, she thought she saw more of those shadowy things moving out of the fog, the heartless. She sighed. This made things infinitely more complicated. Rikku began to whispered calming words in her head. She'd make it, they all would.  
  
_Zicd kad du dra uycec... Just get to the oasis_  
  
**Tifa **  
  
Tifa was about to stop the blonde girl with glasses point out discreetly that it was probably a bluff, when Sephiroth tossed something over towards Riku. Recognizing the blood on the bag, she turned to Cloud with a worried look. Cloud finally took a step forward to take his chance with Sephiroth, when she saw Rikku and the sorceress move at the same time. Grabbing Cloud's arm she pulled him back.  
  
"Wait!"  
  
Then the bomb went off, and Tifa was glad that she had grabbed his arm. At least with the panic she wouldn't lose track of Cloud. The little blonde girl was right, they couldn't fight now. That sorceress scared her as much as Sephiroth did, and as tired as they all were, they were in no condition to fight at the moment.  
  
"Please, Cloud. We'll get the chance later... let's go!"

**Riku**  
  
Riku didn't give the bag at his feet a second glance as he tightened the hold on his Keyblade, the jagged edges of the key part of the weapon dangerously close to cutting Sephiroth's neck in two, the young man did note the color of the bottom of the bag- and tried to ignore the fact that blood had seeped through the material, staining the ground beneath it a deep crimson. However...Riku had no time to even consider opening the bag as Rikku's explosion rang out through the forest, illuminating the darkest of the shadows and startling Riku- as well as various other members of their Party. His body feeling the licking flames that rained down above them, the impact of the explosion alone throwing his body to the ground, and the bag at his feet towards the Oasis, as well...as Sora's keyblade.  
  
Wincing slightly, Riku glared upwards in attempts to make out the faces of his enemies, but his eyes still stung with the illumination of the flames ahead- shrugging. He managed to get to his feet and stumble forwards, his senses alone guiding him to the healing light of the Oasis, the curiosity of what was in the bag...as well as the longing to hold Sora's keyblade fueling his speed as he sped up towards the Oasis. Slowing down as his eyesight came back...and his body dipped into the cold water of the Healing Oasis, instantly feeling the burns from the flames above fade away into nothingness, and completely heal his eyes from the blinding explosion- just in time for him to catch the strap of the Leather bag that Sephiroth had brought with him. Gripping at the soggy material, he pulled it out of the water and into his hands; fumbling with unsettling curiosity and prying the bag open...perhaps the first pure sign of emotion striking Riku's face, and forcing a tear to run down his cheek, dripping into the Oasis below him.  
  
_'No...No...Kairi, NO!'_ Riku's disturbing thoughts ran out through his mind as he stared down into the lifeless eyes of the only love that had ever grasped his heart, her beautiful red hair covered in her own crimson blood, which stained the Oasis water around Riku's body with a hideous copper tint. Biting back the urge to shed another tear, he felt more roll down his cheeks- his eyes locked with Kairi's own before he finally had the will power to close the bag shut. Looking down into his own rippling reflection as the tears hit the surface water...the bag falling from his hands and drifting into the depths of the Oasis water, it had seemed Sephiroth had managed to hit a soft spot in Riku's cold hardened body...and even though it seemed like a good idea at the time, in the long run...he would pay.  
  
"Kairi..." Riku's words left his lips in a soft whisper, the image of Kairi's head embedded in his mind as he glared at his own reflection. The still fiery sky above them flashing in the background of his own reflection as he clenched the hilt of his Keyblade, which miraculously managed to stay with him during the explosion. However, those tears of sadness quickly washed away, Riku's body overcome with anger and fury as he glanced up from his own reflection, the noise around him lost in his ears as he looked up through wet slicked hair, which framed his pale face surreally, his once emotionless eyes showing warning, anger, and despair all in one as he glared in Sephiroth's direction. Showing the man that he had made a grave mistake, possibly his last, however...unbeknownst to Riku, Sora's keyblade had fell into the Oasis in the explosion as well...and as tightened his grip on his own mystical weapon...Sora's touched the Oasis floor, which oddly...glowed. Sora's keyblade quickly recognized the signature of an undiscovered keyhole, golden energy and light outlining and carving a Keyhole into the bottom of the Oasis floor...the Keyblade itself only a few feet away from the keyhole...  
  
**Squall **  
  
Squall struggled against the odd energies that held his sword in place, his eyes slit with anger as he glared towards the Sorceress. His muscles tensing as he fought to pull his sword free from her Magical prison...however, it wasn't his own strength that had pried his sword free, but the force of Rikku's explosion. Squall's body instantly rocketed backwards, despite the explosion going off above them, he still felt quite a lot of its force, and his body slid across the forest floor and near the edge of the Oasis as his sword flipped through the air, the blade sticking into the earth before him as he rubbed his head. Reeling from the effects of the explosion  
  
"RINOA!" was all Squall were able to say as he lay near the edge of the Oasis. A small wave from Riku's descent into the water splashing over his head and seeping into his skin, healing any burns or injuries he had sustained from Rikku's seemingly suicide attempt. Although it wasn't his own wellbeing he was worried for...it was Rinoa's, all he could see were flashes of her smiling porcelain like face before his eyes, over come with the flames from the odd blonde girls explosion. Struggling to stand up, he propped himself up with his elbows before he remembered what, and **who** they were dealing with. Grasping in front of him blind idly as he grasped the hilt of his Gunblade, pulling it out of the ground and peering into the cloudy mist ahead of him, bringing his blade towards him as a sort of comfort object before he began to stand up, Kneeling at first before bringing himself to his feet and glancing around him, hoping to see Rinoa- alive.

**Rinoa**  
  
Rinoa watched the events take place. It seemed to go too quickly for her. One minute, everyone was attacking the two evils, the next, they were all being blasted backwards by a stunt pulled by Rikku. Rinoa was blasted into the air, and plummeted into a tree. She slid down the rough base of the tree before falling to the ground. Rinoa wiped at the back of her head, and a trail of crimson was streaked across her fingers. She sighed and shook out the lure of falling into the darkness. She wasn't going to give into it again.  
  
Rinoa wiped dizziness out of her eyes, as she heard Squall call her name. She wanted to shouted back to him, desperately, but her voice came out small and barely audible. She let out a sigh of defeat, she couldn't see Squall either. It seemed that everything was lost in the endless smoke cloud that now invaded the oasis. Sure, it was a good idea, but it also caused her to not be able to see almost anyone. Rinoa stood and tried to look for Squall through the fog.  
  
Well, everything was invisible – except for the strange glowing coming from the oasis. Rinoa raised an eyebrow as she saw this clearly through the smoke. That's when she started to cough, raspy, deep, coughs. This was caused by the smoke, and she was inhaling it. Rinoa covered her mouth before moving towards the glow. She started to see Squall's shape in the distance, and new hope was restored within her.  
  
Rinoa moved towards Squall and hugged him tightly. She buried her head into his chest, the only place she could breathe without being suffocated by the smoke. Rinoa then raised her head and looked over at the glowing Oasis. She wondered what this was, was it a keyhole? What was Riku doing? And why did he look so upset? All these questions ran through her mind, but not one of them seemed to come with an answer.  
  
Rinoa's shoulders slumped as she looked into Squall's eyes. He was clearly worried about her. Rinoa had mutual feelings about him. She ran her fingers through his hair, before silently reassuring him everything was okay. She kissed him lightly on the lips before pointing over his shoulder towards the oasis. "What's going on? It's glowing...I don't know about you, but that strikes me as odd."  
  
She smiled at him before gently turning him towards the glowing oasis. She then looked over at Riku to see a copper color surrounding him, starting to fade. She wanted to know why there was blood around him, but she knew it wasn't in her place to ask. Rinoa moved hair out of her eyes before stepping more closely to the oasis. She had to find out why it was glowing, and quickly.  
  
But First - - - Rinoa bent down and scooped some of the oasis water into her hands. She then put this on the back of her head, to heal her wound. She took some more and sprinkled it on Squall's wounds. He seemed to have gotten a few from the nasty explosion as well. Rinoa was relieved to see they weren't too serious, if they were, she would have done anything to heal him - - even use her own power.  
  
Rinoa sat at the edge of the oasis, glad that both Sephiroth and Edea couldn't see them because of the thick smoke now surrounding the area. She dipped her fingers into the water, tracing them lightly over the glowing area. It seemed to react greatly with Riku, which could only mean it had something to do with the keyblade. Rinoa wondered what kind of world was beyond this keyhole. Yet again...maybe she didn't want to.  
  
Rinoa then moved into a crouching position as she examined the area around her. Her eyes quickly rested on the animals they had killed. She snatched these, just in case they may need them. Rinoa then grabbed a few more sticks from around her. She knew they would make the plunge into the new world, for, they had no other choice. But, if they were going to be in a totally new location - - she wanted to be prepared.  
  
Rinoa looked at the sky of the forest and saw that it was starting to get lighter - - had they really been out here that long? She knew it would be best to leave before sunrise - - mostly because they once again had no choice. If they stayed, most likely they would end up dead. But if they went - - well...Who knew? None of them knew what lied in the worlds beyond, they could only guess.  
  
Rinoa hoped the next world would at least have suitable climates. If it didn't, she didn't know if she would survive. Well, she would, as long as she had Squall. Rinoa sighed, looking back over at him and giving him a small smile. She just wanted to get out of this whole mess - - She just wanted to go home.  
  
**Home** - - Even though it had its ups and downs, she still missed it terribly. She felt empty inside now that she was away from it. The only thing that still kept her going was Squall, but she knew he missed it too. How long could they stay in a world they didn't know? Sure, these other people probably had the same feelings, but she couldn't help but feel annoyed with the fact that they were stuck here.  
  
She let out another sigh, only this one of pure frustration. If they survived another day of this, it would be a miracle, or close to it. Rinoa knew they had much more to come in their journey, though she secretly wished it wasn't true. She also knew they would encounter Sephiroth and Edea sometime again in the future. She just hoped it was in the far, far future.  
  
Was it even possible to think about more destiny? She thought they (Squall, Quistis, Seifer, and herself) had ended their destiny years back. Apparently not. Apparently, destiny could go on forever without a single rest. Is This where she would be stuck the rest of her life? Rinoa couldn't bare the thought of it at all.  
  
She pushed these thoughts far back into her mind. She had to think sensibly right now. The only thing they needed now was to survive. To survive this world, to survive their enemies, even to survive each other. She clenched her weapon in her hand tightly, and prepared to make an attack if needed.  
  
That was the one thing she was starting to get good at: Preparation. She owed this mostly to Squall however, If it hadn't been for him training her, she didn't think she would have made it this far. Rinoa looked up at him with an even wider smile before her gaze was lost to the ever-glowing Oasis....

**Seifer**  
  
A feeling of pride and usefullness had washed over Seifer at the fact that he had gotten the keyblade, this feeling didn't last long though as he quickly realized just how serious Rikku had been, tossing the make-shift bomb up into the air and having it explode, the forces threw him back and his grip on the keyblade was lost, he watched helplessly as the blade fell into the blue mist. His eyes stinging from the smoke and fire that surrounded him. Yet, he was fine, just a few more scratches and burns to add to his list of wounds to be healed later.  
  
Still, the fact that he couldn't see much anything in this darkness wasn't very pleasing and his mind raced. Quistis had been standing rather close to Rikku when she threw the bomb, apparently trying to talk the small girl down from killing them all off. Some use that had. Sure, they were presented with the cover of the thick fog now, but he could barely see to the end of his nose, his back was screaming at him in protest, he had lost the keyblade and he didn't have a clue of where any of his compainions were.  
  
He heard sounds around him, sounds of the others, something sounding like a splash which could only be the Oasis, and murmuring. Though it took a minute to place anyone's voice, his mind was beginning to fall into a sense of dullness. Not by some spell, but pain, blood loss and confusion. He shook his head, forcing the thoughts away as he felt something was actually digging into his back, he leaned forwards with a small groan, reaching behind him he grabbed onto metal, strangely famaliar to him. It suddenly clicked why as he pulled it slightly, the weight of the item, and it's handle, it was his gunblade. Lucky he had landed on it, or else there was a small chance that he was never to find it again in this mist. And even luckier yet, he had only landed on it's hilt, if it had been reverse, well, it was very likely he could be dead just about now.  
  
His mind raced with worry as he pulled himself to a standing position, using his gunblade for the time as a crutch to help support his weight. Where were the others, it didn't matter much but he didn't want to accidently find Sephiroth or Edea in this... and he still wondered if the blonde girl had actually managed to kill anyone with the blast, where was Quistis, where was Rikku? Where the hell was the Oasis? He stummbled forwards, before blurting out. "Quistis? Where ar-"  
  
He lost his footing on the ground beneath him as he had unknowingly just stepped right over the edge of the Oasis, falling into it's cold water for a second time and having his words cut off by a mouthful of the stuff. He paniced slightly as water surrounded him, though the pain his body had been feeling had faded and left completely, his wounds healed. He kicked out and pulled himself to the surface, gasping for air and placing his gunblade in it's sheath.  
  
It was here that he had spotted Riku was also in the water, and the water beneath him was glowing oddly... he furrowed his brow as he let the one thought that crept into his mind at this glow. "What the hell...?"

**Cloud Strife**  
  
Cloud sat by Tifa who seemed to be giving him odd looks. _I guess she couldn't see Aeris_, he thought. Then again, it made sense. Well, as much sense it could make, which wasn't much. He'd been thinking of her a lot recently and the fire must have picked up on it. This Rikku could obviously mix up some great things, so he assumed the bomb was also real and would cause an enormous explosion. He didn't know if the girl would do it. She'd been so kind earlier, how could she then risk their lives, just for revenge. _Revenge_, he thought. _I guess I couldn't blame her, I've been consumed with revenge recently but I wouldn't take us all down, there'll be more opportunities, I'm sure of it._  
  
Turning to Tifa he nodded with a smile. As if reading her mind he answered; "Yeah, I was talking to Aeris... she was...... in the fire. Now, I know that sounds crazy but I assure you it was real, well – I believe it was". He didn't understand how it worked but he was glad it had happened, it was nice to see her and it made him hold back, which was great. He'd soon find out that he was right and that she'd saved him.  
  
Suddenly, as one of the others turned to attack Edea, she struck back with ice. She held some major power, just as he assumed, but with all of the others attacking, it seemed like his time to attack Sephiroth. That was until Tifa grabbed his arm as Rikku let the bomb go off. The explosion was enormous and rippled through the area, black smoke and fog filling out, blocking Sephiroth and Edea from his view. Realising that it was heading right for them, Cloud knocked Tifa out of the way of it's path. Turning, he was hit by a fireball the came from it and was sent flying into a tree. As he hit the ground he was already unconscious, burns covering his face. Almost near death...

**Tifa **  
  
Though others might have though Cloud was crazy to have seen Aeris in the fire, Tifa automatically believed it, not just because of the nature of the fire, and the visions Tifa had seen herself, but because of who Aeris had been. Still at the moment, it didn't matter. All that mattered was that they get the hell out of there. She had grabbed Cloud's arm and started to run as Rikku had told them, when the blast went off. With a quick push, Cloud had shoved her out of the way and as she hit the ground she turned and saw him for a brief instant before he was blasted back into the purpley-black fog.  
  
"Cloud!!!"  
  
Tifa got quickly to her feet, scanning the area, but the fog was thick and she couldn't see a thing. She had forgotten everything, Sephiroth, the Sorceress, everything was replaced with her concern for Cloud. She sprinted through the fog in the direction he fell, only to hit a wall of ice, angrily she kicked it once, twice, and the third time the force of the kick shattered the ice, such was the strength of her fear for Cloud's safety. Eventually she made it to his sideDespite all unlikelihood though, when it came to one another, Cloud was more of the hopelessly emotional worrier of the pair. Tifa did plenty of worrying, but when there was something that had to be done, she blocked it away until she had time for it. Kneeling by Cloud, she assessed the damage, immediately realizing that if she didn't get him to the oasis, he wouldn't make it. Lowering her head to his, she spoke quietly in his ear, knowing that though he was unconscious, somehow he would hear her.  
  
"I'm her Cloud, and I'm going to get you to the oasis, and you will be fine. Just hang in there until then. _If you die on me, I will never forgive you! _Now I am going to lift you up and we WILL make it to the oasis."  
  
Reaching down, she lifted Cloud's arm putting it over her shoulder, straining to lift him off the ground. She knew it was pointless at the moment to call for help, who knew the condition of the others and if Sephiroth made it through the blast unscathed, she did not want to attract his attention. Struggling she stood up, lifting Cloud as well, and taking careful steps she dragged Cloud along. She always had a good sense of direction even without the light, it came from living in Midgar, essentially a subterranean hell for so many years. She whispered encouragement to Cloud as she walked, and eventually the burst out of the fog and at the oasis. She ignored the weird glowing door, ignored the others, concentrated on nothing, but getting him to the water. She scooped water gently over his face and his cuts seemed to heal, but he didn't open his eyes. Reaching it she pushed Cloud in, jumping in with him, looking anxiously down to see if he'd wake up.  
  
"Come on, we made it. NOW WAKE UP!"

**Quistis Trepe**  
  
She was too late to stop Rikku. The girl seemed to have a mind of her own. While this sort of bravey was something that could benefit them it wasn't always good. She had this carelessness to her which once again was about to put them in danger. Quistis moved closer towards Rikku, even though she had told them all to get back. If this was dangerous then she would have to get the girl to safety somehow.  
  
There was a huge explosion and Quistis knew that whatever Rikku had planed had gone all wrong. She wanted to run towards the girl but the force of the explosion threw her back. She landed a few meters away, on her back. Pain shot down her spine but it was only from the shock of the landing. There was dust flying around her, she couldn't see anyone. All she had was hope that they were all fine.  
  
Her eyes focused on the point where Seifer had been standing before, she could swear she could see an outline. Getting up, Quistis headed that way but stopped on hearing a voice. It was Rikku telling them to get to the Oasis. She wanted to get to one of the others first and since Seifer was the only one who's position she knew of, she headed towards him. He wasn't their.   
  
'_Seifer, Squall, Rinoa_'  
  
Quistis called out for them but received no reply. There was the sound of splashing, she must be near the Oasis. Quistis followed the sounds, hoping she was on the right path. Near the oasis the dust seemed to clear up a bit. She found Seifer and Riku sitting in the healing waters and the others round about them.  
  
'_Is everyone alright?_ '  
  
She looked to Seifer for some sort of answer, he would no doubt give her a straight answer.

**Yuffie**  
  
Through the damp purple fog, Yuffie's eyes squinted, attempting to see something other than vague shapes, resembling overgrown chickens. A few of the purple chicken shadows seemed to be moving, leaping even, like...well...like chickens with their heads cut off. Yuffie didn't even attempt to figure out who was who, she just waited for the fog to dissipate completely.  
  
Actually, waiting didn't seem to be an option as most of the group streaked by Yuffie, heading somewhere. It didn't take long for Yuffie to realize they were heading for the Oasis, seeing as a few of them were injured by Rikku's little moment of pyromania. She raced after them, ignoring the stings from the tree branches that cut her as she ran by. Purple smoke still clouding her vision, though it was fading away fast as she ran further from the clearing, Yuffie closed her eyes and ducked her head, trying to avoid the whipping braches.  
  
Unfortunately, this wasn't as smart as an idea as it seemed, as Yuffie soon discovered when she went tumbling into the Oasis.  
  
"What the he-" her startled cry was cut off as she landed face first in the water, almost landing on top of those already submerged in the Oasis' healing waters. Surfacing quickly, Yuffie clutched the edge of the pool, coughing up water and pushing her drenched, short, dark hair out of her eyes. When she could actually breathe without coughing up a gallon of water, fish or lung, she sighed and slumped onto the ground, half in and half out of the water.  
  
"Okay, one complaint. I propose that someone put a sign in front of this place, you know, so people like me can't go tumbling in. It could say: WELCOME! To the Oasis" and then people would know. Then people like me wouldn't go running through the forest blinded then fall in and half drown." She knew she was babbling, but she didn't care just then.  
  
"And I have one more thing to say-" she said, ignoring what she knew to be soft groans from those who knew Yuffie was a babbler. "I congratulate Rikku on being even more crazy than I am. That's an accomplishment worth noting." She laughed weakly and rested her head on the grass beside the pool. The whole "running-fighting-jumping-falling-tripping-half dying" routine could get old pretty quick, and Yuffie just wanted to sleep.

**Cloud**  
  
As Cloud lay there, covered in burns, on the brink of death, all he had in his mind were images of Tifa. They were mute but beautiful, his thoughts were of her as he slowly began to slip into the darkness. Then out of no-where he heard his beloved. That she wouldn't forgive him if he died, that he WAS going to make it to the oasis. It was these words and the sound of her voice that brought him back, made him fight harder. Long enough for her to drag him over to the Oasis, to drop him in and heal him. She told him to wake up.  
  
His eyes flipped open as he took a sharp intake of breath. He'd nearly died and she'd saved him. This was one of the many occasions that proved that he needed her just as much as she needed him. They loved each other, helped each other and needed each other. Their bond existed on so many levels and it was that along with a burning attraction that kept them going. They cared for each other more than anything, they were each other's lives. They were the reasons that the other was still alive. A bond like that is untouchable.  
  
Turning to look at her, steadily feeling better, his burns healing he coughed and smiled. "I guess we're even."  
  
Turning to look around he saw that they were surrounded by a large number of the others. They were all ok, they must have been – at least physically. Mentally however he was sure they'd all seen better days, much better days. _Sure, it isn't everyday that you end up in a strange world, fight Sephiroth and Edea and then get blown up_, he thought with a slight chuckle. It was almost funny, stuff like this always happened to them, this was classic. Perhaps though, this was their toughest challenge yet. They'd overcome it of course, they always did but unfortunately, sometimes there were casualties. _Casualties?_. "Where's Rikku?!".  
  
He couldn't be mad at her, she'd done what she had to do. That woman was packing major power and she did try and aim the bomb away from them. It was just unlucky that cloud had chosen that moment but maybe without Aeris's warning he'd be with her – dead.  
  
Looking around he couldn't see Rikku. The fog was still thick, he wouldn't be able to find her in it. Then there were the two crazies outside that wanted them dead. He feared the worst but hoped the spry young woman was ok. He'd call out but it'd alert the enemies. He felt truly sorry for her, but at some level he felt that she was ok. She knew what she was doing, she wouldn't have killed herself for example if he'd done it, he would have marked his path first and headed straight for it. _So, why isn't she here?_.  
  
At that moment, something caught his eye. A strange glow illuminated the bed of the Oasis. Near it lay a sword, a keyblade. "Is that one of those Keyhole thingy's?", he asked, not having forgotten about Rikku but curious about what a glowing hole right underneath them meant. He was also hoping that the two wouldn't make it anywhere near the Oasis. Otherwise they'd be healed. They weren't dead though. People with power such as theres would have survived that. They'd be back, they'd come face to face again. He'd finally settle it with Sephiroth. That was the only thing he truly knew in that instant.  
  
**Vincent**  
  
Vincent accepted the task of getting supplies for the group but what followed next was nothing more than a crazy blur. Battles with the heartless.. they were bad enough but then there was Sephiroth and now this woman with the power to control ice. Not to mention the crazy girl with the bomb! He didn't know these people, had no idea if she'd do it but he sure hoped she wouldn't. Afterall, then they'd all be dead. He just hoped he'd get a chance to escape. He wouldn't.  
  
Suddenly the girl told them to run, throwing up the bomb as it exploded, sending purple smoke into the air. Vincent was disoriented but unharmed as he'd been further away from the action. His vision was blurred and he couldn't see anything, his calls for his friends, for anyone were unanswered. Stumbling around he fell into the Oasis. Which was already filled with a number of the others including himself. To his relief he saw Cloud, Tifa and Yuffie along with most of the others. The girl who set off the bomb on the other hand...  
  
"Hey", he said, his wounds healing. "Is everyone alright?". Without an answer he turned and looked down, a strange glow rippled towards the bottom of the Oasis. "What the hell is that? Should we be worried?".

**Tifa **  
  
A half-laugh/half-sob escaped Tifa's lips as she flung her arms around Cloud's neck, hit by the fact that she'd almost lost him.  
  
"Don't ever do that to me again!"  
  
She didn't care if her statement was unreasonable, and she didn't really expect a response, she just hugged him again, reassuring herself that he was alive. Then she began to look around for the others, relieved that both Yuffie and Vincent had made it as well. She frowned at Cloud's comment. He was right, the little blonde was no where to be found. Glancing around she noticed that the others in the party were at least ok, and focused her attention back on the fog. Tifa nodded.  
  
"She'll make it."  
  
She was certain of it, and glancing over towards Riku she took in the scene clearly for the first time, recoiling slightly at the head. Who was it to him, she wondered. She figured he'd say if he wanted to and began to study the weird light.  
  
_A keyhole?_  
  
**Rikku **  
  
Rikku took a step forward once again running into the ice. Obviously the sorceress had thought to contain the blast, so she'd just kill herself. Still, Rikku was also willing to bet that if she got out of the ice, she'd find more of those walls around, hopefully incomplete. She dreaded to think of the others similarly encased in prisons of ice, while the ice might protect them from the blast, it could also keep them in harms way. She hadn't seen enough people running when she had told them too. Rikku was fairly sure the others would be ok, but just in case, she'd search around a bit before heading to the oasis. She figured with the fog, if she saw Sephiroth or the sorceress, she'd be able to disappear no trouble. Besides, she didn't exactly relish the greeting she was sure to get. She had no doubt some of them would be severely pssed off.  
  
Of course, all of this depended on whether she'd get out of the ice box that the sorceress's magic had managed to build. Checking both to her left and right, she saw that she was indeed blocked in, able to witness the figures moving through the fog in a blur around her. She had to get out of there before the fog lifted... Jumping up, she was relieved to find, her hands grazed the uppermost limits of the ice walls. She'd be able to climb out. Jumping again, this time she caught hold, and ignoring the bite of the ice into her already cut up hands, she lifted herself up slowly, managing to get a leg over the ice wall. Stopping at the top, she looked around then slowly stood up, balancing now a bit above the fog range, but still partially hidden, as it continued to fall to the ground and spread out around her. She could see some of the heads of people moving through the fog, ones she wanted to avoid, and ones she wanted to be certain made it out of there. She also saw the shapes of the heartless probably attracted by the pyrotechnics. Glancing over to the oasis, she saw to her relief that a couple of the others had made it. That still left a few... Rikku decided to keep her precarious position, keeping a watch on Sephiroth and Edea, severely hoping that they did not look up. This way she could get the best vantage point. She flinched as she saw Tifa dragging an unconscious Cloud out of the fog and into the waters. That was all her fault she knew. And breathing as sigh of relief, she saw Cloud sit up. She hadn't killed him. That reaffirmed her opinion that she'd done the right thing, Sephiroth and the witch would have killed them all at this point. Suddenly Rikku noticed that she couldn't see Sephiroth anymore, nor the witch, and she felt adrenaline wash over her.  
  
_They could be anywhere... _  
  
Casting a glance back at the oasis, she noticed that the others had made it, and she jumped down her self, falling into a crouch, then hopping up. Panicked that Sephiroth or Edea might be waiting nearbynot to mention the heartless.  
  
Rikku began to move, just in time as multiple blasts of ice shattered nearby. Figuring that if Sephiroth was in front of her, maybe she'd surprise him just as much as he would her, and she through caution towards the wind and sprinted for the oasis, flinching slightly as one of the thin blades of ice hit her arm. Obviously, the sorceress didn't care if she could see or not and was just blasting randomly... _Or she can see..._ Brushing away the scary thought, she hoped that the heartless would catch up with the sorceress and Sephiroth, and would give them some reprieve. Rikku focused on the oasis and sprinted out of the fog to where the group was.  
  
"They're coming!!! More heartless too."  
  
Rikku stopped abruptly, and as she caught her breath she fell to her knees, noticing for the first time that her arm was literally soaked in blood, from all the cuts.  
  
_Why did it have to be the same arm?_  
  
Picking herself up, she stumbled the last few steps to the oasis in a daze, registering the redheaded...head, as well as the glowing keyhole, but only distantly, as if she were someone else watching the scene.  
  
_I suppose we all know what was in the bag now... _  
  
Dunking herself in the waters of the oasis she stayed under for about a minute, as if the water could help clear the haze from her mind, then breaking the surface again she repeated her earlier warning.  
  
"We have to go."

**Sephiroth**  
  
While he was concentrating on Riku, it seemed the annoying blonde wasn't bluffing. It was little matter to him though as, due to Edea's ice walls, most of the blast was kept contained, doing more injury to the girls 'teammates' then to either him or Edea. However, the ice walls didn't hold everything back, a strong blast still came towards him and the thick fog covered, stinging his eyes slightly, but it didn't mean all that much nor harm him. He was fine, further annoyed yes, but unscathed.  
  
Chaos was everywhere, something he was relishing in. Worry, panic, fear. None of which he felt, though it was around him. He could smell it. And then there was Riku's "gift". Before the intense fog had hit he had saw the tears, and the look of a broken heart in the boy's eyes. It was the look promising death that Riku had given to him that he found the best. Killing the girl did more damage to the boy then he could have thought. As things seemed to calm down slightly he spoke, his voice loud and mocking from his position in the fog.  
  
"Riku... the holder of the other keyblade has recieved the same fate as the girl."  
  
A dark laughter come from him as he walked off, after all, he had a promised land to get to, worlds to drain of power, and chaos to cause. There was work to be done before he killed Riku. Before he killed Cloud - and the rest of them. Things needed to happen in order for him to become a god. And nothing would get in his way. He was finished with the small group and looking back over his shoulder for merely a second he called out to Edea. "Coming?"  
  
With that he walked off deeper into the woods, killing any heartless that dared to cross his path.  
  
**Seifer**  
  
_"Seifer, Squall, Rinoa."_  
  
_Was that Quistis?_ He couldn't be sure, the voice was too distant, he wasn't even sure if she was alive and a lump had seemed to form in his throat, though he would rather die before admitting that he was worried for Quistis, he was half tempted to go running back into the fog and search for her. Squall and Rinoa were nearby and he had completely forgotten about the strange glow underneath him when he had thought he had heard Quistis. His heart pounded against his rib cage. Painfully, almost.  
  
Just as he had began to move towards the surface to go looking for his comrade there she came, out of the fog and he found himself relaxing a bit, his breathing returned. Did she have to be so damn slow getting here? It was no matter, she was fine apparently and as she asked the question, directed towards him he shrugged his shoulders, returning to his usually c0cky self. "How the hell should I know?"  
  
True, her question was out of the same worry that he had felt only moments ago, but he wouldn't admit to _that_ small detail. And it seemed everyone but one was nearby, that one being Rikku, the girl whom had just about killed them all. He couldn't probably care less whether she was alive or not. If she was going to blow them all up anyways... However, just to 'satisfy' Quistis he threw a quick glance around the area, everyone seemed alright, and everyone in the Oasis had been healed so there was really no real need to be worried. "It seems everyones alive."  
  
Just as he was about to turn his attention away from Quistis and towards Riku to ask about the strange glow, Rikku had come bursting forwards out of the fog. Telling them that they had to go. He wasn't about to argue with her, at least, not yet, but once they were out of here, he did have some things to say to her... something along the lines of blowing everyone up with her little stunt.

**Squall Leonhart**  
  
Squall wrapped his arms around Rinoa as she hugged him, cupping some water and running it over her body even as she healed his own wounds. Kissing her softly on the cheek as they embraced, he was so happy she was ok...but for how long? He was doing everything he could to protect her from Edea and Sephiroth...but how long would he be able to? He saw the look in Riku's eyes as he let the brown bag drift off into the bottom of the Oasis- and he knew how Riku felt...he had lost someone he loved. Looking into Rinoa's eyes, he tried to imagine life without her- and came up with nothing, if Rinoa ever got hurt...or ever, died...he would die with her. Rinoa was his heart and soul, and nothing was going to change that.  
  
"I'm so glad your ok...", he smiled sadly before following her eyes to the Oasis, bringing his own palm up to shield the intense light pouring out under Riku from stinging his eyes even more. Leaning over to peer deeper into the water, he thought he could make out a Keyhole when Rikku came bursting forth, shouting about heartless. Instantly pulling himself and Rinoa deeper into the Oasis, he inched towards the others and clenched his gun blade, shooting random bullets at shadows and even towards Edea and Sephiroth as he glanced towards Riku, his eyes pleading with emotion for him to do something.  
  
"We have to get out of here, now" Squall spoke in more authority then he had meant to, his true leadership qualities shining through as he continued to shoot bullets off towards the shadows, hopefully piercing hides of various heartless that were hopefully, kept at bay by the Oasis water. Clenching Rinoa tighter in his arms, he glanced back towards Riku and urged him to help them, and fast.  
  
**Riku**  
  
The shouts of warning were lost within Riku's ears, his eyes were staring off into Sephiroths general direction, his eyes hardened with more anger and hate then ever seen within the young mans eyes. Even the Keyhole begging to be open below him was lost, all that he was focused on was revenge...revenge for Kairi and Sora. However, it seemed Kairi had different plans, for just as he stepped forward to run after Sephiroth, the remaining flames in the air seemed to dance with life, and soon- Kairi's face formed within them, speaking to him. Telling him it wasn't time, and that he needed to get the others to safety, revenge was not important. Struggling, he tightened his grip on his keyblade and glared towards Sephiroth, the only words registering were the pyre flies reacting to Rikku's explosion, forming the illusion of Kairi's face and words.  
  
"Kairi..."He looked upwards as he spoke, the hate and anger washing away from his expressions and showing pain, sadness...he had been deeply in love with Kairi- and now she was gone...as was Sora. Shaking his head, he looked down into his reflection, and for the first time saw Sora's keyblade...and the Keyhole. Instantly changing his posture, he glanced towards the others and shook his head, his slicked hair waving out of his face as he spoke.  
  
"Everyone, through the keyhole", as he spoke, the young Keyblade wielder glanced downwards, Kairi's decapitated head having floated from the bag, staring at him next to the keyhole. Struggling to regain his composure, Riku refused to let any more tears drop and thrust his keyblade forth, the small thin light of light drifting from its tip to the keyhole, illuminated it even more and opening it fully, the feint sight of snowfall visible on the other side. "Now!", he hurried the rest of the group through, before plunging underwater and snatching Sora's keyblade before it fell through, looking at the shimmering weapon and tightening his grip on it with his other hand. Glancing upwards once more and hurrying the rest of the party through the keyhole, before glancing towards the decapitated head one last time- before jumping into it himself.


End file.
